PRIME MINISTER

Helicopter Flight Cost

George Osborne: To ask the Prime Minister from what budget the helicopter he used for his official engagements on 11 February was paid for.

Tony Blair: There was no cost to public funds.

Honours

Tony Wright: To ask the Prime Minister how many recipients of each category of award in the honours system there were in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Tony Blair: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain the information would incurdisproportionate costs. Details of awards made byregions over the last five years were published in SirHayden Phillips' Review of the Honours System (2004), copies of which are available in the Library.

Iran

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1496 to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn), what diplomatic means of engagement he has pursued with the Government of Iran since 9 February in respect of (a) the security of Iran, (b) the Iranian perception of the security of Iran, (c) Iran's relations with the United States and (d) the alleged development of nuclear weapons by Iran.

Tony Blair: Our policy towards Iran is one of critical and conditional engagement. The UK, France and Germany (the E3"), with European Union representatives, are engaged in a dialogue with Iran aimed at agreeing long-term arrangements for Iran's nuclear programme. These are intended to provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes. Working groups on political/security issues and nuclear issues met in Geneva on 9 February and 10–11 February respectively. A working group on technology/co-operation met on 8 February. Relations between Iran and the United States are a matter for those two countries.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Devolved Assembly

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the devolved assembly to re-convene.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier.

Ulster Scots

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to make announcements regarding cultural arrangements, appointments and other equality measures regarding Ulster Scots.

Angela Smith: The Government fully recognises the importance of cultural identity in Northern Ireland and has in hand a significant programme of work aimed at recognising it. The wide range of issues involved means that announcements are made as and when it is appropriate to do so.

Devolved Government

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the prospects for restoring devolved Government in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier.

Devolved Government

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of the suspension of the Assembly on the democratic process in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: The Belfast Agreement envisaged a Northern Ireland Assembly and a power-sharing Executive, both made up of locally-elected representatives. The Government continues to believe that this represents the best long-term guarantee of peace and stability in Northern Ireland and I regret that current circumstances make it impossible to restore those institutions at present.
	However, this does not erode the democratic process altogether in Northern Ireland. This House—including those Members with Northern Ireland constituencies—continue to hold myself and my ministerial colleagues to account for our administration of Northern Ireland under Direct Rule.

Education Boards

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the financial position of the education boards in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to improve that position.

Barry Gardiner: Between 1999–2000 and 2005–06 total spending on education has increased by 56 per cent. Total funding per pupil has increased by 64 per cent. In the budget for 2005–06 I have increased the allocation to the ELB centre budgets by £19 million over the previous year; that is almost 6 per cent.—from £333 to £352 million at a time when inflation is running at 2.5 per cent. and pupil numbers are declining.
	The priority now for all ELBs is to develop plans that reflect Government education policy and ensure that services are managed and delivered within budget.

Cross-border Trade (Motor Vehicles)

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border trade in second-hand motor vehicles.

Angela Smith: The number of second hand vehicles imported into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland has reduced considerably over the last five years, from a figure of 2,889 in 2000 to 959 in 2004.

Security Situation

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer Igave earlier to the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay).

Peace Process

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland peace process.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.

Peace Process

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the economic impact in Northern Ireland of the peace process.

Barry Gardiner: The Northern Ireland economy has performed remarkably well over the past decade with high levels of economic growth, a strong labour market and increasing visitor numbers. I believe this can be attributed in part to the increased stability and confidence provided by the peace process.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been paid to the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety by the Home Office and National Asylum Support Service in respect of asylum seeker support in each year since 1996–97; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The following table details the monies paid to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety by the Home Office and the National Asylum Support Service as reimbursement for asylum seeker support.
	
		
			  Amount paid £000 
		
		
			 1996–97 0 
			 1997–98 0 
			 1998–99 0 
			 1999–00 0 
			 2000–01 0 
			 2001–02 112 
			 2002–03 150 
			 2003–04 280 
			 2004–05 124

Census

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the penalties are for refusing to complete a decennial population census form for Northern Ireland; how many successful prosecutions there were for that offence in connection with the censuses for (a) 1981, (b) 1991 and (c) 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The current maximum penalty for refusing to complete a census form or answer any question in the census is £1,000. No prosecutions were brought in 1981, while there were five and two successful prosecutions in 1991 and 2001 respectively.

Census

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the penalties are for unlawfully disclosing personal information from closed decennial population censuses for Northern Ireland; how many successful prosecutions there have been for that offence since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The current maximum penalty for unlawful disclosure of personal information supplied in the census is, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both. On conviction on indictment, an individual is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both. There have been no prosecutions since 1990.

Census

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what requests his Department has received from members of the public who do not want their personal census details to be released before the Northern Ireland records are 100 years old.

Ian Pearson: Records from Northern Ireland censuses conducted under the Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 are currently closed indefinitely. There have been no requests of the nature described.

Census

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if consideration has been given to commissioning an independent survey to discover whether the people of Northern Ireland are in favour of the re-establishment of 49 or 59-year confidentiality periods which applied to Northern Ireland decennial population census records for 1901 and 1911; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Records from Northern Ireland censuses conducted under the Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 are currently closed indefinitely. In due course, consideration will be given to introducing legislation to open records after 100 years in line with the rest of the UK. No consideration has been given to commissioning a survey of the nature described.

Census

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assurances of confidentiality were given on the decennial population census for Northern Ireland in 2001.

Ian Pearson: The following statement appeared on the cover of the 2001 census form.
	The information you provide is protected by law and treated in strict confidence. The information is only used for statistical purposes, and anyone using or disclosing census information improperly will be liable to prosecution. Census forms will be held securely under the terms of the Public Records Act (Northern Ireland) 1923."
	Publicity material for the 2001 Census also stated that
	by law the census form and the information it contains is kept secret and cannot be divulged to anyone."

Census

Mr. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the years when the householders' forms for the 1928 to 2001 population censuses for Northern Ireland were destroyed.

Ian Pearson: Since 1928 there have been censuses in 1937 and 1951 and decennially thereafter with an additional mid-term census in 1966.
	The Public Record Office Northern Ireland (PRONI) is the custodian of all Northern Ireland census returns from all censuses with the exception of the 2001 census. None of these forms have been destroyed. Images of the 2001 census forms have been taken and will shortly be delivered to PRONI.

Children's Fund

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether all projects established under the Children's Fund will continue to receive funding.

Angela Smith: All projects funded under the current three year Children's Fund cycle will receive their full allocation from existing Children's Fund monies.

Education Action Zones

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources are being committed to funding education action zones in North and West Belfast; and from what sources.

Barry Gardiner: Some £6 million is expected to be available over the next three financial years for the implementation of the Education Action Zone (EAZ) initiative across Northern Ireland. The bids presently being developed include proposals from the BELB for EAZ provision in North and West Belfast.

EU Grants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures are in place in his Department to ensure that EU regional development grants are used in accordance with the European Commission rules.

Ian Pearson: In Northern Ireland EU structural funds expenditure must comply with the requirements of the procedural guide Government Accounting in Northern Ireland" (GANI) and EU regulations guidance on European Commission rules contained in the EU structural funds operating manual for Northern Ireland.
	Compliance is ensured through a system of both management (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 438/2001) checks that must be carried out on all projects and a system of a minimum of a 5 per cent. sample check (Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 438/2001). Certifying bodies must satisfy themselves that these checks have been carried out before making claims to the Commission (Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 438/2001). EU expenditure is also subject to internal audit and the Northern Ireland Audit Office reviews.

Health Trusts

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed by each of the health trusts covering (a) North Belfast and (b) West Belfast, broken down by (i) gender and (ii) religion and community background.

Angela Smith: Information requested is provided in the following tables.
	
		Staff employed by each of the health and social services trusts covering North and West Belfast by (i) gender as atFebruary 2005 -- Headcount
		
			 Health and social service trust Male Female Total 
		
		
			 Homefirst (Whiteabbey Hospital) 15 152 167 
			 Mater Infirmorum 324 987 1,311 
			 North and West Belfast 631 3,043 3,674 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 1,667 5,170 6,837 
			 Total 2,637 9,352 11,989 
		
	
	
		Staff employed by each of the health and social services trusts covering (a) North Belfast and (b) West Belfast by (ii) religion and community background as at February 2005 -- Headcount
		
			 Health and social services trust Protestant Roman Catholic Other/not stated /unknown Total 
		
		
			 Homefirst  (Whiteabbey Hospital) 108 47 12 167 
			 Mater Infirmorum 412 738 161 1,311 
			 North and West Belfast 1,458 1,998 218 3,674 
			 Royal Group of Hospitals 2,494 3,999 344 6,837 
			 Total 4,472 6,782 735 11,989

Nurses

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many episodes of physical abuse occurred against nurses in hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last year.

Angela Smith: The information is not available in the form requested for the last year and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, during the first 6 months of the financial year for which figures are available (1 April 2004–30 September 2004) a total of 1176 incidents were recorded of physical abuse against nurses in hospitals in Northern Ireland, out of a total of 1977 recorded incidents of physical abuse against HPSS staff during the same period.

Parking

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on (a) provision of parking spaces for civil servants and (b) parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997.

Paul Murphy: The information is not held in the format requested by the hon. Member.
	The Northern Ireland Office (excluding its agencies and NDPBs) has spent the following on:
	(a) Provision of parking spaces for civil servants
	Between 1997–98 and 1999–2000 the cost of parking spaces was captured under the expense code property rental" and is not separately identifiable.
	In 2000–01 the expense codes were amended so that the cost of parking spaces could be identified separately. The costs from 2000–01 to 2003–04 are provided as follows.
	
		£
		
			  Cost of parking spaces 
		
		
			 2000–01 106,357 
			 2001–02 152,616 
			 2002–03 187,416 
			 2003–04 196,633 
		
	
	(b) Parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants
	The amount spent on parking tickets and penalties cannot be identified separately as these costs are all captured under other travel costs".

Regional Rate

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the percentage change in the regional rate in Northern Ireland was in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The following table gives the percentage increase in the domestic and the non-domestic regional rates from the 2000–01 financial year.
	Between 2000–01 and 2004–05 the average household rate bill increased from £394 to £509, an increase of £115. The average increase for England for this period was £270.
	
		Regional rate percentage increases -- Percentage
		
			  Domestic regional rate increase Non-domestic regional rate increase 
		
		
			 2000–01 8.0 4.6 
			 2001–02 7.0 3.3 
			 2002–03 7.0 3.3 
			 2003–04 6.0 3.3 
			 2004–05 8.8 3.3

Suicides (North Belfast)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategy is in place in north Belfast to tackle suicides, with particular reference to young people.

Angela Smith: The North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust's Strategy for the Prevention of Suicide includes gender specific health education campaigns and education tools for schools aimed at promoting positive mental health and raising awareness of suicide, support for primary care, home-based early intervention on a 24-hour 7-days a week basis, the provision of support and training for community based counselling services and support for those affected by suicidal behaviour.

Suicides (North Belfast)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on tackling suicides in north Belfast in each year since 2000.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available, as it is not possible to disaggregate the amounts spent specifically on tackling suicide from the services that are involved.

Waiting Lists/Times

John Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people normally resident in Northern Ireland have been assessed and accepted for (a) heart, (b) lung and (c) heart and lung transplant waiting lists in each of the last three years; how many have received transplants; and how many have died whilst waiting for transplantation.

Angela Smith: Information on the number of people normally resident in Northern Ireland who have been assessed and accepted for heart, lung and heart and lung transplant waiting lists and the number of people who have died whilst waiting for heart, lung and heart and lung transplantation in each of the last three years is not available.
	Information on the number of people normally resident in Northern Ireland who have received heart, lung and heart and lung transplants in each of the last three years is provided in the following table:
	
		Number who received transplants
		
			  1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 
		
		
			 (a)Heart transplants 4 2 8 
			 (b)Lung transplants 3 3 1 
			 (c)Combined heart  and lung transplants — 1 2

Waiting Lists/Times

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he is doing to tackle the number of trolley waits in hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: A regional programme of work is being taken forward to examine and improve the flow of emergency admissions through hospitals and to reduce the numbers of trolley waits. All trusts were required as part of this regional programme to undertake a snapshot survey to identify delays in the hospital system. A regional workshop will be held later this month to examine the results of these surveys and consider how best to address the issues arising from them. All of this work is being overseen and monitored by a regional steering group comprising representatives from health and social services boards and trusts.
	In preparation for the extra demands that would be made on services during the winter months, an additional £2 million recurrent and £6 million non-recurrent funding was made available to the Northern Ireland health service in 2004–05. This money has been used to provide a range of services, including additional acute and community nursing staff, enhanced primary and community care provision, and additional hospital capacity.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Common Agricultural Policy (Africa)

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy on agricultural markets in Africa.

Hilary Benn: The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), in its current form, impacts on agricultural markets in Africa by increasing world supply, thus lowering world prices; by artificially raising EU prices; by heavily subsidising exports; by undermining world price stability and by limiting access to our markets through the use of high import tariffs.
	This imposes high costs on developing countries. Empirical research has shown that amongst rich countries, the EU is responsible for the biggest costs to developing country farmers. Reform of the CAP could increase developing countries' food and farming income by $7.5 billion per year, which could significantly reduce poverty for those producers in Africa.
	DFID and the UK are committed to reform of the CAP in order to facilitate freer and fairer agricultural trade between developing countries, including in Africa, and the EU. This issue is being analysed in theCommission for Africa Report, expected in March2005.
	DFID will continue to press for reforms on the EU side including by weakening the link between EU farm support and domestic production to discourage over production (which lowers the world market price), and providing better market access by reducing tariffs andwill also continue to build supply-side capacity of agricultural producers including infrastructure and technological development to improve quality andcompetitiveness of African products.

Targets

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many targets have been set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and, of these, which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped.

Hilary Benn: I refer the member for Tatton to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to HM Treasury (Mr. Timms), on Monday 21 February 2005, Official Report, column. 75W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Pupil Referral Units

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the average number of pupils in a pupil referral unit was in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each local education authority in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many places were (a) filled and (b) available in pupil referral units in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each local education authority on the latest date for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: Information on the number of pupils in Pupil Referral Units is shown in the following table.
	Information on the number of places available in Pupil Referral Units is not collected centrally.
	
		Pupil referral units: number of pupils January 2004—by local education authority area
		
			  Number of pupils 
		
		
			 England 13,038 
			   
			 North-east 833 
			 Darlington 21 
			 Durham 11 
			 Gateshead 90 
			 Hartlepool 55 
			 Middlesbrough 77 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 116 
			 North Tyneside 60 
			 Northumberland 3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 120 
			 South Tyneside 158 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 51 
			 Sunderland 71 
			   
			 North-west 2,171 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 81 
			 Blackpool 210 
			 Bolton 66 
			 Bury 106 
			 Cheshire 0 
			 Cumbria 66 
			 Halton 33 
			 Knowsley 109 
			 Lancashire 371 
			 Liverpool 144 
			 Manchester 411 
			 Oldham 0 
			 Rochdale 115 
			 Salford 107 
			 Sefton 92 
			 St. Helens 15 
			 Stockport 9 
			 Tameside 55 
			 Trafford 52 
			 Warrington 31 
			 Wigan 43 
			 Wirral 55 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,389 
			 Barnsley 71 
			 Bradford 173 
			 Calderdale 45 
			 Doncaster 140 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 16 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 57 
			 Kirklees 173 
			 Leeds 196 
			 North East Lincolnshire 49 
			 North Lincolnshire 55 
			 North Yorkshire 23 
			 Rotherham 40 
			 Sheffield 152 
			 Wakefield 47 
			 York 152 
			   
			 East Midlands 1,022 
			 Derby 166 
			 Derbyshire 31 
			 Leicester 114 
			 Leicestershire 115 
			 Lincolnshire 215 
			 Northamptonshire 150 
			 Nottingham 166 
			 Nottinghamshire 65 
			 Rutland 0 
			   
			 West Midlands 1,356 
			 Birmingham 350 
			 Coventry 6 
			 Dudley 18 
			 Herefordshire 40 
			 Sandwell 126 
			 Shropshire 20 
			 Solihull 54 
			 Staffordshire 73 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 23 
			 Telford and Wrekin 53 
			 Walsall 104 
			 Warwickshire 160 
			 Wolverhampton 100 
			 Worcestershire 229 
			   
			 East of England 1,086 
			 Bedfordshire 105 
			 Cambridgeshire 262 
			 Essex 284 
			 Hertfordshire 122 
			 Luton 25 
			 Norfolk 38 
			 Peterborough 16 
			 Southend-on-Sea 23 
			 Suffolk 147 
			 Thurrock 64 
			   
			 London 2,719 
			   
			 Inner London 1,267 
			 Camden 37 
			 City of London 0 
			 Hackney 47 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 189 
			 Haringey 105 
			 Islington 119 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 44  
			 Lambeth 109 
			 Lewisham 146 
			 Newham 50 
			 Southwark 100 
			 Tower Hamlets 230 
			 Wandsworth 85 
			 Westminster 6 
			   
			 Outer London 1,452 
			 Barking and Dagenham 217 
			 Barnet 59 
			 Bexley 51 
			 Brent 101 
			 Bromley 100 
			 Croydon 350 
			 Ealing 133 
			 Enfield 92 
			 Greenwich 70 
			 Harrow 35 
			 Havering 21 
			 Hillingdon 28 
			 Hounslow 55 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1 
			 Merton 16 
			 Redbridge 74 
			 Richmond upon Thames 13 
			 Sutton 17 
			 Waltham Forest 19 
			   
			 South-east 1,386 
			 Bracknell Forest 29 
			 Brighton and Hove 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 78 
			 East Sussex 29 
			 Hampshire 268 
			 Isle of Wight 16 
			 Kent 153 
			 Medway 142 
			 Milton Keynes 56 
			 Oxfordshire 127 
			 Portsmouth 40 
			 Reading 31 
			 Slough 54 
			 Southampton 30 
			 Surrey 142 
			 West Berkshire 58 
			 West Sussex 92 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 19 
			 Wokingham 22 
			   
			 South-west 1,076 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 7 
			 Bournemouth 9 
			 Bristol, City of 132 
			 Cornwall 0 
			 Devon 77 
			 Dorset 112 
			 Gloucestershire 181 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 
			 North Somerset 34 
			 Plymouth 141 
			 Poole 20 
			 Somerset 61 
			 South Gloucestershire 55 
			 Swindon 68 
			 Torbay 53 
			 Wiltshire 126 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Pupil:Teacher Ratios (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pupil-to-teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in York was in each year since 1996–97.

Stephen Twigg: The following table provides pupil and staff information for maintained primary and secondary schools in the City of York constituency in each January from 1997 to 2004, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools(1) Maintained secondary schools(1) 
			  Pupil:teacher ratio(2) Pupil:adult ratio(3) Pupil:teacher ratio(2) Pupil:adult ratio(3) 
		
		
			 2004 21.8 14.4 16.0 12.3 
			 2003 21.6 14.9 15.9 13.0 
			 2002 21.7 15.3 16.1 13.1 
			 2001 22.8 17.0 16.7 14.3 
			 2000 22.9 18.0 16.5 14.4 
			 1999 23.1 18.5 16.5 14.9 
			 1998 24.4 19.8 16.2 14.3 
			 1997 23.8 20.2 16.1 14.4 
		
	
	(1)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	2Based on the full-time equivalent of qualified teachers.
	3Based on the full-time equivalent of all teaching and support staff (excluding administration and clerical staff).
	Source:
	Annual School Census

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Climate Change

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to (a) encourage environmental protection and (b) reduce the UK's contribution to climate change.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Defra's five year strategy, Delivering the Essentials of Life" was published in December 2004 and sets out the Department's approach to environmental protection and sustainable development.
	The UK remains on course to achieve its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent. below base year levels by 2008–12.
	The Government recognises that measures in addition to those contained in the UK Climate Change Programme published in 2000 will be needed to achieve the domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010.
	The current review of the UK Climate Change Programme will give the opportunity for the Government to look carefully at whether to introduce new policies and measures, and/or strengthen existing ones. The review will also consider the action that the UK will need to take to ensure it is on course to makereal progress by 2020" towards the ambitious longer-term goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2050, as set out in the Energy White Paper (2003).

Climate Change

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was raised by the climate change levy in the last year for which figures are available; and how this income was spent.

John Healey: holding answer 21 February 2005
	I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the Climate Change Levy Bulletin for November 2004 published by HM Customs and Excise which is available at www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=climate.

Environmental Protection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking in the West Midlands to protect the environment.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 February 2005
	A wide range of regional activities on the environment are co-ordinated and prioritised through the West Midlands Regional Assembly's Regional Environmental Partnership, to which many of Defra's agencies actively contribute. Although only formed recently, it is currently considering a number of sectors, including waste, energy, biodiversity, urban design, Water Framework Directive, area-based approaches, etc. This group also contributes to the implementation and review of the Regional Spatial Strategy.
	The work of individual agencies is very varied, but includes the following:
	Environment Agency
	The priorities of the Environment Agency are set out in its corporate strategy, entitled Making it happen". They are as follows:
	An enhanced environment for wildlife
	Cleaner air for everyone
	Improved and protected inland and coastal waters
	Restored, protected land with healthier soils
	A greener" business world
	Wiser, sustainable use of natural resources
	Limiting and adapting to climate change
	Reducing flood risk
	English Nature
	(i) Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): There are 439 SSSI in the West Midlands region and currently 65 per cent. are either in favourable or recovering management condition. Only around 5 per cent. have been classified as declining in management condition. In some cases improvements in management condition are secured by English Nature through management agreements under its Wildlife Enhancement Scheme and in others by the Rural Development Service through agri-environment schemes. On other sites improved management has been achieved with support from the Heritage Lottery fund, for example at Cannock Chase and Sutton Park under the Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage initiative.
	One major outstanding issue which relates to the condition of river and other wetland SSSIs is diffuse pollution, invariably from agricultural sources. Under the Modernising Rural Delivery Programme a specific pilot scheme is now underway to tackle diffuse pollution issues on the river Teme through collaborative working among both relevant agencies including the Integrated Agency confederation and the Environment Agency together with local individuals and groups.
	(ii) Biodiversity: The Government is supporting the co-ordination the of six Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) Partnerships operating in the West Midlands and the delivery of specific nature conservation actions for a selection of each area's most threatened habitats and species. This ranges from restoration of lowland heathland in Staffordshire and Worcestershire to the survival of water voles in Birmingham and Herefordshire. The region's Biodiversity Strategy (to be launched March 2005), and the associated regional biodiversity audit and regional habitats targets work, has derived from strong Government engagement with and facilitation of partnership outputs. The ODPM's Regional Planning Guidance (June 2004) incorporates policy intent to achieve effective protection and measurable gains in the conservation status of 23 priority habitats by 2010.
	England Rural Development Programme (ERDP)
	The Rural Development Service, through its West Midlands offices, operates a range of agri-environment schemes as part of the ERDP. Expenditure under these in 2003–04 was as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 Countryside Stewardship Scheme 5,878 
			 Environmentally Sensitive Areas 3,491 
			 Organic Farming Scheme 1,330 
		
	
	The new Environmental Stewardship scheme will shortly be introduced, and will replace the above schemes. It will address these issues:
	biodiversity
	maintenance, enhancement and protection of landscape quality and character
	protection of the historic environment
	natural resource protection
	promotion of public access (HLS only)
	genetic conservation
	flood protection
	Protected landscapes
	There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty wholly or partly within the region:
	Cannock Chase
	Cotswold Hills (part)
	Malvern Hills
	Shropshire Hills
	Wye Valley (part).
	The Peak District National Park lies partly within the West Midlands but is administered from the East Midlands.
	These organisations co-ordinate their activity through the West Midlands Protected Landscape Forum, led by the Countryside Agency.
	Forestry Commission
	The Forestry Commission recently led a partnership to produce a Regional Forestry Framework. An action plan for the region is currently being developed.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on water intended for human consumption met; when and where these meetings took place; what UKGovernment expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Committee did not meet between 1 July 2003 and 31 December 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on bathing water, (ii) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on the quality of fresh water needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life and (iii) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Decision establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community met; when and where each meeting took place; what UKGovernment expert was present at each meeting; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: None of these Committees met during these three presidencies.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is as follows:
	Italian Presidency—July to December 2003
	The Committee met on 7 November 2003 when three delegates from the UK attended.
	Irish Presidency—January to June 2004
	The Committee met on 23rd June 2004 when four delegates from the UK attended.
	Dutch Presidency—July to December 2004
	The Committee met on 2 December 2004 when four delegates from the UK attended.
	All the meetings were held in Brussels.
	The meetings present opportunities for the UK to discuss and promote a UK perspective on aspects of implementation of the Directive, for example, promotion of current UK scientific knowledge and thinking.
	A series of Command Papers on developments in the EU—Cm6174 laid in April 2004, Cm6310 laid in September 2004 and Cm6450 laid in February 2005, cover the periods of the above presidencies and are available on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

European Emissions Trading Scheme

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects that the European Commission will accept the revised UK National Allocation Plan in order to allow British business to participate in the European emissions trading scheme.

Margaret Beckett: We recognise that UK operators wish to begin full participation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as soon as possible. The Government are continuing their dialogue with the Commission with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides and which will enable allocation as soon as possible.
	The monitoring and reporting aspects of the scheme commenced on 1 January 2005. UK operators are already able to participate in the forward market. The Government have published the provisional list of installation-level allowances in order to give industry as much certainty as possible about how many allowances they will receive. However, we recognise that operators can only begin trading on the spot market after allowances have actually been issued.

European Emissions Trading Scheme

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the most recent communication from the European Commission on the status of the revised UK National Allocation Plan.

Margaret Beckett: Discussions with the European Commission on the proposed amendments to the UK National Allocation Plan for phase 1 of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (2005–07) are still continuing, with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides as soon as possible.

TRANSPORT

A39

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on the A39 in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Fatal and seriously injured casualties on the A39: 1999–2003
		
			  Casualties 
			  Killed Serious 
		
		
			 1999 6 52 
			 2000 8 59 
			 2001 5 46 
			 2002 11 62 
			 2003 7 53

A39

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of congestion on the A39 in Bridgwater.

David Jamieson: The A39 through Bridgwater is not part of the Trunk Road network, and consequently my Department has not undertaken an assessment of the level of congestion in Bridgwater.
	The road in question is the responsibility of Somerset county council, the local highway authority. It is understood that journey speeds on the A39 in Bridgwater have been monitored twice, in 2001 and 2004. The results showed a 7 per cent. and 11 per cent. decrease in peak and off-peak speeds respectively. However, partly as a result of the completion in January 2003 of the Bridgwater Northern Relief Road, these decreases were considerably lower than on other routes in the town.

Leigh Guided Busway

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement with regard to the outstanding planning issues related to the Leigh Guided Busway.

David Jamieson: My Department has just finished exchanging written representations between Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) and interested parties on the extensive additional environmental information provided by the GMPTE last October. GMPTE have also recently provided clarification of some detailed drafting points on their proposed Transport and Works Act Order. We have concluded in the light of all this further information that it is not necessary to re-open the earlier public inquiry into this scheme. We are now considering the substantial amount of new information that has been submitted since the inquiry, in the light of the earlier Inspector's report, and intend to decide this application as soon as we reasonably can.

Leigh Guided Busway

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much City of York Council has received in (a) block grant and (b) specific grants for transport purposes in each year since it became a unitary authority; and if he will make a statement on investment in public transport in York.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department has approved nearly £34 million of block grant to City of York council for transport capital between April 1996 and March 2005. Of this £34 million, £7.724 million was for maintenance and £26.151 million for integrated transport improvements. Also £3.239 million was provided for the B1228 Peasholme Bridge scheme, along with a further £1.06 million in targeted bus grants. The annual amounts of funding are listed in the following table.
	The investment in public transport made in York has contributed towards a substantial increase in bus patronage—up by nearly a quarter in three years—and the development of a high quality set of park and ride services. The Department designated the council as a centre of excellence for transport planning (specifically for cycling and park and ride) back in 2001. It has recently invited the council to apply to be a centre of excellence for local transport delivery. This recognises the council's proven track record in delivering transport improvements on the ground.
	
		£ million
		
			 City of York Nature of Funding 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Capital maintenance 0.306 0.435 0.378 0.900 0.712 
			 Integrated block 0.772 0.880 0.770 1.195 1.550 
			 Major schemes(3) 2.262 0.977 0 0 0 
			 Targeted bus grants (2) n/a n/a 0.250 0.070 0.310 
			 Total 3.34 2.292 1.398 2.165 2.572 
		
	
	
		£ million
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Capital Maintenance 1.095 1.155 1.281 1.462 
			 Integrated Block 4.900 5.000 6.600 4.484 
			 Major Schemes(3) 0 0 0 0 
			 Targeted Bus Grants(2) 0.090 0.110 0.110 0.120 
			 Total 6.085 6.265 7.991 6.066 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(2)Includes Rural Bus Subsidy Grant, and Bus Challenge funding.
	(3)Funding for Major Scheme B1228 Peasholme Green Bridge

M60

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in discovering the reasons for flooding on the M60 between Denton and Hollingwood, Oldham.

David Jamieson: The surface water problems that occur at specific areas on the M60 result from a combination of wide carriageways and the road alignment and crossfall. These cause rainwater to have a long and slow path off the carriageway to the drains, resulting in the formation of a continuous water film on the road surface in heavy rain.
	The design of the motorway complied with the Highways Agency's standards current at the time of its design. Changes in drainage design guidance to deal with wide carriageways were subsequently issued by the Agency in 1999.
	Remedial overnight works to reduce surface water on the section of the motorway between Junction 24 at Denton and the Medlock River, south of Junction 22, are planned for spring/summer 2005. Further assessment is being carried out on the section between the Medlock River and Junction 19, following which the necessary remedial works will be undertaken.

Meridian Trains

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held concerning the future use of the Meridian trains built for Midland Mainline which have now been declared surplus to requirements.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 21 February 2005
	I understand that sixteen four-car Meridian trains have been successfully introduced into service on Midland Mainline and will continue to operate throughout the life of the franchise. There are also seven nine-car Meridians which are not yet in service. Discussions about them continue between the owning Rolling Stock Company and Midland Mainline. Careful consideration will be given to any proposal for their possible future use.

Parking

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on (a) provision of parking spaces for civil servants and (b) parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants in the Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002.
	The cost of providing parking for DfT civil servants in the Department's agencies in 2002–03 was £86,291 and in 2003–04 was £92,733. These costs represent the cost of any additional parking provided for staff over any spaces that may be provided as part of the lease of a building where identifying these figures would involve disproportionate cost. DfT Central did not incur any expenditure on providing parking spaces in either year.
	It is departmental policy that staff are personally responsible for meeting the costs of parking tickets or penalties and these details would not be separately recorded.

Sickness Absence

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of sick days taken by staff in the Department.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department and its Agencies are committed to managing sickness absence effectively and are taking action on the recommendations made in the Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector" report published in November 2004.
	Initiatives that are being pursued include more robust recording and monitoring of absence levels and reasons for absence, better provision of management information and training for managers, earlier involvement of occupational health advisers and a review of current policies and procedures.

TREASURY

Council Tax (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties there were in each council tax band in the Chorley borough council area in 2003–04.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of dwellings in each council tax band for properties, in Chorley borough council area, at 7 April 2003 was:
	
		
			 Band Number of dwellings 
		
		
			 A 13,771 
			 B 9,616 
			 C 8,064 
			 D 5,213 
			 E 3,998 
			 F 1,582 
			 G 701 
			 H 62 
		
	
	The council tax list, maintained by the listing officer of the Valuation Office Agency, is updated at regular intervals throughout the financial year. At 7 April 2004, the number of properties in each band were:
	
		
			 Band Number of dwellings 
		
		
			 A 13,806 
			 B 9,652 
			 C 8,213 
			 D 5,370 
			 E 4,124 
			 F 1,623 
			 G 715 
			 H 62

Departmental Policies (Huddersfield)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement, using statistical information relating as directly as possible to Huddersfield constituency, on the effects on Huddersfield of the working and child tax credits; and what the average change in level of income has been for those receiving the credits in Huddersfield since their introduction.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the total number of families that benefit from tax credits is only available for the United Kingdom as a whole. This information can be found in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics".
	Information on the number of in-work families receiving tax credits in each constituency appear in Child and Working Tax Credits. Geographical analyses".
	Both these publications can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. The estimates are based on a sample of cases and are subject to sampling uncertainty.
	Information on the average change in income for those families that receive tax credits is not available.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU theCustoms Section of the Joint Committee (EEC-Switzerland-Liechtenstein) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Sub-committee EEC-Canada met; when and where these meetings took place; what UKGovernment expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The committees are the responsibility of the European Commission. Member states are not involved.

Mobile Phones (Tax Benefits)

Howard Stoate: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has held with the Department of Health regarding the potential health implications of tax and national insurance benefits available to employers who supply mobile phone and associated contracts to employees and their families.

Dawn Primarolo: The Treasury and the Department of Health have regular and on-going discussions on a wide variety of topics.

Stamp Duty

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost for 2005–06 of stamp duty relief in designated disadvantaged wards.

Dawn Primarolo: The latest estimate of the amount of disadvantaged area relief forecast to be given in 2004–05 is published at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1–5.pdf.
	This estimate will be updated in the Budget 2005 report. An initial forecast for 2005–06 will be published at PBR in the autumn.

Tax Credit (Overpayment)

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases of tax credit overpayments the Inland Revenue has decided in accordance with page 9 of the Code of Practice 26, What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?' not to collect (a) all and (b) part of the overpayment to avoid causing hardship in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 10 February 2005
	None. However, there are a number of measures to protect against hardship being caused by the recovery of an overpayment.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Improvement Districts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the maximum increase in business rates allowed in a Business Improvement District is.

Nick Raynsford: There is no statutory upper limit on the size of the BID levy. It is for those developing BID proposals to agree the amount payable with those liable to pay the BID levy within a BID area. The legislation provides for all those liable to contribute towards BID schemes to be able to vote on BID proposals and they will be able to judge for themselves whether or not the proposal and its financial implications offers value for money.

Departmental Policies (Warrington, South)

Helen Southworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Warrington south constituency, the effects on Warrington South of his Department's policies and actions since it was established.

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the United Kingdom. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by one million.
	Warrington borough council was awarded a place on Round 3 of the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) programme in July 2003, with initial funding of £18.3 million for 2004–05 and 2005–06, to help improve council stock to the decent homes standard. In November 2004 the Arms Length Management Organisation, Golden Gates Housing, qualified to access this funding by achieving a two star (good) rating from the Housing Inspectorate.
	Since April 2003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also provided £16 million of Supporting People grant to Warrington metropolitan borough council, to enable it to deliver housing related support services to vulnerable people in the area. Currently this provides over 3900 dwellings of support to a range of people-including homeless families, older people, people with learning disabilities and young people at risk.
	More broadly, since May 2002 (when the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established) we have been able to increase the total amount of Government grant given to local authorities by £11.1 billion. This is a 22 per cent. increase in real terms. Warrington has received average annual increases in formula grant of 6.5 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

EU Grants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what procedures are in place in his Department to ensure that EU regional development grants are used in accordance with European Commission rules.

Yvette Cooper: European Structural Funds programmes are required to operate in accordance with European Commission Regulations. As Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund programmes in England, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister operates a management and control system which the Commission has agreed fully meets its regulatory requirements.

EU Grants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on mismanagement of EU regional development grants; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware that there have been representations on any specific cases in relation to mismanagement of the European Regional Development Fund within England, for which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is the Managing Authority. If the hon. Member has a particular concern perhaps he will write to me.

Fire Service

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from fire and rescue service regional management boards regarding regional control rooms; and what proportion of such representations has indicated support for the project.

Nick Raynsford: All the Chairs of fire and rescue service regional management boards (RMBs) wrote last year to express support for the FiReControl project, in some cases subject to reassurance on financial issues. All the RMBs have commented on the Outline Business Case and responded to the recent consultation paper on FiReControl finance and governance. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering those comments and will publish the response shortly. The South West RMB has also requested an independent inquiry into the provision of a regional control centre for the South West, which has been refused.

Homes for All Initiative

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated market value is of the public sector land holdings identified by him for the construction of housing under the Homes for All initiative.

Keith Hill: It is too early to estimate the market value of the public sector land holdings since negotiations are still in progress about the size and scope of the various land holdings which will be used as one of the delivery mechanisms for the creation of further sustainable communities as set out in our Homes for All document.

Homes for All Initiative

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact on house prices of withdrawing previously identified surplus land sites from open market sale for use in the Homes for All initiative.

Keith Hill: Surplus land is not being withdrawn from sale. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's recently published Five Year strategy Homes for All" makes it clear that much of the surplus public sector land will be used for housing development and to tackle housing shortages including the provision of affordable and key worker homes.
	There are effective arrangements in place to continue to dispose of surplus sites for housing and other uses. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognises that not all sites will be suitable for housing development.
	English Partnerships will handle a proportion of the public sector sites. Where residential development is proposed they will ensure that the land is sold in the open market with a planning framework which will deliver the balance of market and affordable homes that meets Government the local planning requirements. That means ensuring higher design and quality standards are being delivered alongside higher housing numbers bringing a mixture of tenure and prices to the market. This will be delivered through private sector developers.

Homes for All Initiative

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether developments of housing constructed on public sector land under the Homes for All initiative will be exempt from the requirements of existing local plans (a) to provide social rented housing and (b) to provide financial contributions for off-site infrastructure re-enforcement.

Keith Hill: Housing development constructed on public sector land under the Homes for All initiative will not be exempt from local plan requirements for social rented housing or financial contributions for off-site infrastructure works.

Housing Assistance (South Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give financial assistance towards additional rented housing in South Lancashire.

Keith Hill: The North West Regional Housing Board is currently consulting on priorities for housing investment throughout the North West, for the next Regional Housing Strategy. This will influence decisions on spending on affordable housing in South Lancashire.

Local Government

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he last met trade union representatives to discuss proposed changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Phil Hope: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and I have had a number of meetings with the trades unions and others to discuss the amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2004 due to come into force on 1 April. The last occasion was on 17 February 2005 with senior representatives from UNISON, the T&G, the GMB, UCATT and AMICUS, along with representatives of the Local Government Association and the Employers' Organisation.
	In addition, officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had, and continue to have, regular contact in person and via correspondence with the trades unions, local authority representatives and other key Local Government Pension Scheme stakeholders.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Correspondence

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Normanton of 8 November 2004 and 17 December 2004.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Response was sent out at the beginning of the week commencing 14 February. Due to an administrative error this case was not responded to earlier.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government sought legal advice regarding the impact of the Charter of Fundamental Rights within the EU Constitution on industrial relations law in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on whether legal advice has or has not been sought by the Government with regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights within the EU Constitution on UK industrial relations law. This is a position that is covered by the Exemption contained in Section 35 (l) (a) of the Freedom of Information Act.

Fireworks

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the Fireworks Act 2003 on the number of firework-related accidents in Hartlepool

Gerry Sutcliffe: The fireworks injury statistics for the 2004 period are as yet not available. My Department expects to be in a position to publish the figures in early March 2005.
	With regard to the number of injuries sustained by the use of fireworks in Hartlepool, it should be noted that the figures collected are not broken down by parliamentary constituency, but rather in terms of UK region and NHS Trust.

Manufacturing Advisory Service

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the rate of referrals of businesses from Business Links to the Manufacturing Advisory Service was in 2003–04, broken down by region.

Jacqui Smith: Based on figures provided by INBIS Ltd., MAS National Network Managers, the rate of referrals of businesses from Business Links to the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			 Region Number 
		
		
			 East 18 
			 East Midlands 123 
			 London 80 
			 North-east 182 
			 North-east 292 
			 South-east 378 
			 South-west 68 
			 West Midlands 273 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 117 
			 Tota1 1,531 
		
	
	Note that the structure of business support in Wales is significantly different from that in England and that as a result the statistics for Wales are not comparable. We have therefore not included Wales in these statistics.
	As indicated above these figures have been provided to us by INBIS Ltd. Although some of the regions have not kept statistics on the rate of referrals from Business Links to MAS for the whole of the period indicated they do provide a good representation of the rate of referrals for each of the regions.

Manufacturing Investment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what strategy her Department is using to promote an increase in manufacturing investment.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Encouraging high value added investment is a priority in the Government's manufacturing strategy action plan. We are seeking to achieve this through a range of measures including; tax incentives such as enhanced capital allowances and R and D tax credits; and business support schemes such as the Grant for Research and Development and Selective Finance for Investment. We are also putting £320 million into the Technology Strategy Programme which supports collaborative R and D and technology transfer and have established the Manufacturing Advisory Service which has provided manufacturing businesses with £108 million of added value and is showing companies the value of investing in lean manufacturing best practice.
	More fundamentally we are seeking to maintain the stable macroeconomic environment we have achieved in recent years and within which business can invest with confidence in new products, processes and skills.

Minimum Wage

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are made on the payment of the minimum wage within the Greater London area to ensure that the proper rates are paid.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Inland Revenue, who enforce the minimum wage on behalf of the DTI, respond to all complaints about underpaying of the minimum wage.
	The Revenue also make use of their own data to make proactive visits on employers throughout the UK to check whether they are paying their workers the minimum wage.

Minimum Wage

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review the penalties imposed on companies found paying their employees below the minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since the minimum wage was introduced in April 1999 the Inland Revenue have imposed 133 penalty notices on employers who they found were not paying their workers the minimum wage.
	A penalty notice imposes a financial payment equal to twice the hourly amount of the adult minimum wage per worker for each day of continuing non-payment of the minimum wage.
	The Government keeps their enforcement strategy under regular review.

Nuclear Power

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the papers on nuclear power which officials of her Department prepared as part of the contribution to the Energy White Paper 2003; and if she will place copies in the Library.

Mike O'Brien: The following papers on keeping the nuclear option open (KNOO) were prepared for the DTIs Energy Advisory Panel and contributed to the work on the Energy White Paper:
	KNOO Scoping Paper (EAP 11.06.02-P3)
	KNOO Summary Paper (EAP 01.10.02-P3)
	KNOO Miniprojects
	These papers are now over two years old and some of the information that they contain will be out of date. Nevertheless it is hoped that their release will contribute to the continuing debate on nuclear power as a future energy source in the UK. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	In addition, the long-term costs of nuclear power were covered in the work commissioned by DTI on options for a low carbon economy. The resulting paper DTI Economics Paper No. 4: Options for a Low Carbon Future—Phase 2" can be viewed on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/phase2.pdf

Plumbing Industry (Black Country)

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence she has collated on availability of JIB-PMES assessors related to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme within the plumbing industry in the Black Country; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: I would like to confirm that it is not the responsibility of my Department to collate this information.
	The Construction Skills Certification Scheme is owned and managed by Construction Skills Certification Scheme Ltd., representing construction employers, trade unions and clients. The Government has no responsibility for this scheme and its decision-making.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Northern Ireland (Collusion Investigation)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General on what date the Director of Public Prosecutions received papers prepared by Sir John Stevens arising from her investigation into collusion between Crown forces and loyalist paramilitaries; what further action was recommended; and what action has been taken in respect of prosecutions of these cases.

Harriet Harman: There have to date been three investigations by Sir John Stevens into allegations of collusion, the most recent investigation having commenced in 1999.
	The Director of Public Prosecutions is currently considering the product of the Stevens III investigation in two distinct but linked parts.
	In respect of the first part, an investigation file was received by the DPP on 23 April 2002. Police inquiries were not complete at that stage and further information and investigations were requested by the DPP. Police recommendations as to prosecution were received by the DPP in June 2004. The advices of Senior Counsel were sought at an early stage and were obtained in March 2004.
	In respect of the second part of the investigation files containing over 12,500 pages were received by the DPP in April 2003. Further information and investigations were required by the DPP and a final report was received on 27 April 2004. Police recommendations as to prosecution were received in November 2004. The advices of Senior Counsel were sought at an early stage and were obtained in December 2004.
	The issues arising for consideration are complex and detailed and involved an examination of a substantial volume of documentation produced during the Stevens I and II investigations.
	Final consideration is now being given to both parts of the investigation.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Cleaners

Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many cleaners there are in (a) those parts of the Palace of Westminster for which the House is responsible, (b) Portcullis House, (c) 1 Parliament Street, (d) Norman Shaw North and (e) Norman Shaw South; how many of these are (i)full-time and (ii) part-time; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: Cleaners are employed in the House of Commons under contract to the Refreshment Department and the Department of the Serjeant at Arms. In addition the Department of the Serjeant at Arms and the Library employ cleaners who are staff of the House. The numbers are as follows:
	
		
			  Contracted staff Directly employed staff 
			 Building Part-time Full-time Part-time 
		
		
			 Palace of Westminster 36 36 20 
			 Portcullis House 12 11 13 
			 1 Parliament Street 5 5 4 
			 Norman Shaw North 7 1 7 
			 Norman Shaw South 8 — 4 
			 Total 68 53 48 
		
	
	In addition there are three full-time contracted staff and seven part-time directly employed staff whose duties are carried out in a number of House of Commons buildings. It would not be meaningful to attempt to attribute them to any specific area.
	The number of contracted cleaners given as employed in the Palace of Westminster covers those whose duties involve cleaning House of Commons areas only, since some cleaning in the House of Lords is carried out under the same contract.
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 2 February 2005, Official Report, columns 910–11W, on the terms of employment of contracted cleaners. I understand that the discussions referred to in that answer on pay rates and other terms and conditions of employment are continuing. The parliamentary authorities are keeping in close touch with developments. I hope that a solution acceptable to all those involved can be reached.
	I would also like to emphasise that the current discussions do not in any way involve those cleaning staff directly employed by the House of Commons Commission.

Passes

Mark Prisk: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission 
	(1)  what the total cost was of (a) implementing and (b) maintaining the visitor pass system in use until December 2004 for visitors to the Palace of Westminster;
	(2)  what the estimated cost is of (a) implementation and (b) maintenance of the adhesive visitor pass system to be introduced from February for visitors to the Palace of Westminster.

Archy Kirkwood: The cost of implementing the visitor pass system in use until December 2004 was £11,600 including VAT. Staffing and other overhead costs were negligible.
	The cost of implementing the adhesive visitor pass system introduced in February 2005 is £2,740. Overheads will be negligible. The monthly maintenance cost (consumables) is estimated to be around £2,000 including VAT.

DEFENCE

A400M

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many A400M aircraft are to be ordered by the RAF; and when the first plane is expected to arrive.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom Government has ordered 25 aircraft. The first aircraft delivery is expected to be 2010.

Air Crash (Board of Inquiry)

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, the Air Officer Commander in Chief, and members of the RAF Directorate of Legal Services have met to discuss the Board of Inquiry into the crash of ZD 576.

Adam Ingram: In preparation for appearing before the House of Lords Select Committee on Chinook ZD 576 in 2001, several meetings took place at which the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshals Wratten and Day, and the Director of Legal Services RAF were present.

Allied Rapid Reaction Corps

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK commitment to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) will be when the ARRC takes over the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan in 2006.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The scale of the Head Quarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corporation Group when it deploys to Afghanistan in 2006 and the United Kingdom's contribution has yet to be decided.

Army Deployment

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the current location in the UK of each Army regiment; what the number of service and support personnel at each location is; and where available what the total running cost is for each site, including personnel costs.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 23 February 2005
	The most recently published UK location statistics for Service Personnel are provided in the July 2002 Tri-Service Publication (TSP) number 10 which is available in the Library of the House. The number of civilian personnel broken down by Government Office Region is available in UK Defence Statistics 2004, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House. The total running cost for each site, including personnel costs is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member with the current location of each Army regiment and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Chinook Helicopter

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Chinook HC 2 helicopter was given its airworthiness review; and if he will place a copy of the review in the Library.

Adam Ingram: No airworthiness review has been conducted in respect of the Chinook HC 2.

Colombia

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent UK military aid has been given to the 4th Division of the Colombian Army or to individual brigades and battalions of the Division; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We do not provide generic military assistance to Colombian Army divisions, brigades or battalions as formations. The United Kingdom assistance is provided to selected individuals in the form of military education or training, or at sub-unit level to enable capabilities such as Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). Professional training provided to Colombian officers routinely incorporates human rights education. UK funded projects have provided human rights training through the Colombian military justice school, and have aimed to raise awareness of the armed forces on their role in prevention of displacement and protection of the rights of internally displaced persons.

Defence Estate (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what land in the Chorley constituency his Department (a) owns and (b) has a right to use.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence owns the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association at Devonshire Road, Chorley. We do not have any rights to use other land in the area.
	There may be some other sites owned or used by organisations associated with MOD, but which are not recorded centrally.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers will be attending the Defence Export Services Organisation symposium on 9 March.

Adam Ingram: For security reasons it is not our practice to publicise in advance the forward programmes of Ministers.

Departmental Policies (Blackpool)

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to the constituency, the effect of his Department's actions and policies on Blackpool, South constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence's presence within Blackpool, South constituency currently consists of Weeton Barracks and an Army Cadet Force (ACF) centre at Parkinson Way.
	Since 1997, the Talbot Road ACF in Blackpool, North has closed and one year ago the Yorkshire Street ACF in Blackpool, South was sold. As a result, Blackpool detachment ACF and Palatine ACF are now located at Parkinson Way.
	On 11 June 2001 the then War Pensions Agency (WPA), located at Norcross in Blackpool, North constituency, transferred to MOD from the Department for Work and Pensions. WPA is now the Veterans Agency and employs 850 people from across Blackpool and the surrounding area.

Depleted Uranium Waste

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether depleted uranium waste has been deposited on the seabed of the Solway Firth as a result of use in Ministry of Defence training

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence does not use Depleted Uranium during routine training. I also refer to the answer I gave on 11 January 2005, to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond).

Gloucestershire Regiment

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Back Badge awarded to the Gloucestershire Regiment after the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.

Adam Ingram: A working group has been convened by the Colonel Commandant of the Light Division to address the wide range of issues, including dress and uniform, arising from the merger of the Gloucestershire element of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment to form a battalion in the Light Infantry. It is due to report in June 2005.

Infantry Regiments

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has for the HQ Barracks of the proposed Royal Lancashire and Border regiment; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he will take to preserve the (a) name, (b) insignia and (c) badge of The Queen's Lancashire Regiment in the proposed Royal Lancashire and Border Regiment; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: No decisions have been made on the future location of The King's Lancashire and Border Regimental Headquarters.
	The Queen's Lancashire Regiment, in consultation with The King's Own Royal Border Regiment, and The King's Regiment, who will merge to form The King's Lancashire and Border Regiment, are in the process of determining their new common capbadge and uniform.

Iraq

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost has been to the UK Government of the deployment of private security companies in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office employs two private security companies in Iraq, to provide armed protection for UK Government staff while travelling and to provide guards for the compounds of the British Embassy Offices. The cost of these contracts is approximately £50 million per annum.

Iraq

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many battalions stationed in Northern Ireland are being asked to provide companies for operations in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: From the eight battalions currently under command of the General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland) (GOC(NI)), it is planned that one company of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (currently based at Palace Barracks, Belfast) will be available to form part of our regular roulement of forces for Operation TELIC deploying to Iraq during April/May 2005. GOC (NI) keeps the security situation under close review and will ensure that sufficient forces are available to provide routine military support to the police and additional troops can be made available to him from Land Command, if required, for example during the marching season.

Maritime Coherency Study

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purpose is of the Maritime Coherency Study: who is involved in it and when it will report.

Adam Ingram: The purpose of the Maritime Coherence Study is to produce a balanced, more coherent and affordable maritime programme, which places a stable and realistic demand on the UK naval shipbuilding sector. It is being led by the Equipment Capability Customer area of the Ministry of Defence and has involved stakeholders from the Front Line Commands, the Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation. Final decisions on the study will be taken in the current planning round, which is still under way.

MRSA

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) advice has been given and (b) precautions are taken against the spread of MRSA in military ambulances; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The majority of secondary care for armed forces personnel is provided at Ministry of Defence hospital units within host NHS hospitals. Ambulances used for transfer fall under the local health authority and will adhere to the procedures and precautions laid down by the local health authority.
	Some military ambulances are retained by armed forces medical centres. Guidelines to prevent the spread of infection are provided at a single service level. These include staff protection and ambulance disinfection. The guidelines are in line with the current procedures recommended by the local health authorities.
	Ambulances are also used by the armed forces for transfer of a small number of patients in Cyprus and Gibraltar. These ambulances follow the same infection control procedures as the UK based medical centres with staff referring to the local infection control manuals supplied by the single service infection control teams in the UK. A local infection control nurse is on hand to provide immediate support and advice where necessary.
	MRSA has not been identified as a major problem for troops returning from military operations abroad. Nevertheless, when operating in field conditions staff are instructed on the importance of preventing the spread of any infection and are given specific guidelines to follow to prevent the spread of infection relevant to the particular theatre. Ambulances on operations are cleaned as per single service guidelines on the decontamination of equipment.

Uniform Suppliers

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the four test houses which tested the fabric for the cut and sew camouflage uniform contract were; and whether the test confirmed that the fabric tested was the camouflage fabric to be used in the uniforms to be supplied.

Adam Ingram: The test houses were in China and the United Kingdom. The tests confirmed that the fabric meets Ministry of Defence specification requirements.
	It is the responsibility of the prime contractor to ensure that the fabric used for the production of camouflage uniforms continues to meet the specification for the finished items.

Uniform Suppliers

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many additional people have been taken on by (a) Coonen Textiles and (b) Watt and Stone Ltd as a result of the award to them of the cut and sew camouflage uniform contract.

Adam Ingram: So far 17 new jobs have been created within Cooneen Watts & Stone Ltd as a result of this contract award, and in addition approximately 40 jobs have been safeguarded. It is anticipated that further jobs will be created during the life of the contract.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Composers (Television Programmes)

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will ask Ofcom to introduce a code of practice on contracts for composers commissioned to write music for television programmes.

Richard Caborn: No. This is a competition matter and I understand it is currently the subject of a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading. Under their concurrency arrangement with the OFT, Ofcom will keep in touch with them on the matter. The Department has no powers to intervene in this area.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Asian Tsunami

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government provided for (a) support and (b) repatriation of British citizens in the first week after the Asian tsunami.

Chris Mullin: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The total cost incurred in providing support to British citizens in the first week after the Asian tsunami is not yet available. Cost information is still being collected from those who provided assistance, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), other Government Departments, the police, local authorities and non-government organisations. The support effort continues and we expect the costs to amount to many millions of pounds. Assistance provided is outlined as follows:
	The Emergency Response Team in the FCO was fully staffed and operating from 08.30 on 26 December with the telephone number advertised nationally. The Metropolitan Police Casualty Bureau was operational on a 24/7 basis, with up to 50 police call handlers on duty by 15.00 on 26 December.
	14 Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) members were deployed to Sri Lanka on 26 December and 28 December. Further RDT support was deployed on 5 January. Two Disaster Victim Identification teams were deployed to Sri Lanka and Thailand on 29 December. Over 30 officers were deployed from other Missions to Thailand during the immediate crisis period. A temporary office was set up in a Phuket hotel at monthly rental of about £48,000.
	From 1–6 January, 13 Police Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) were deployed overseas. 378 FLOs have been deployed in the UK and overseas to date.
	BA charter flights from Bangkok and Brussels returned British citizens to the UK on 30 December and 31 December at a cost of approximately £215,000.
	10 refrigerated units to store victims remains were sent to the region on 31 December at an initial cost of about £230,000.
	A package to help victims of the Tsunami or their families was put in place on 28 December which includes assistance for: hospital expenses and medical repatriation; repatriation of the deceased in the absence of insurance; and for two family members to travel to the region.

Belarus

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister will be attending the meeting to be hosted by Lithuania in March in respect of the future of EU relations with Belarus; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We have not yet received a formal invitation to attend any event in Lithuania.

Burma

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 147W, on Burma, for what reasons he will not provide the information requested.

Douglas Alexander: As the hon. Member will know, it is not our practice to disclose details of the positions taken by other member states in internal EU discussions. I therefore have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's earlier statement.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 10 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr S. Akhtar, transferred from the Home Department.

Chris Mullin: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 21 February.

Detained British Citizens

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries in which British citizens and residents are being (a) lawfully and (b) unlawfully detained at the request of, or in co-operation with, the United States military or intelligence agencies; how many persons are detained in each country; and how many are under 18years.

Chris Mullin: We are aware of two British nationals being held as security internees by the coalition forces in Iraq. Both are held under the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546.
	We are aware of five British residents currently being detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay.
	None of the above are under the age of 18.

European Public Bodies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the activity of the European Maritime Safety Agency in the UK in the last 12 months; and if he will list its publications and newsletters published over that period.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) provides technical advice to the Commission and the member states on maritime safety and prevention of pollution by ships. It assists with updating and developing new EU legislation, monitoring its implementation and evaluating the effectiveness of measures in place. Key areas of the Agency's work and study programme in the last 12 months have included technical work on improving the Port State Control inspection regime; scrutiny of the performance of classification societies (ship inspection bodies); a study of the investigation of maritime accidents; development of a vessel traffic monitoring and information system; and workshops on counter-pollution response and goal based safety standards.
	The Administrative Board of EMSA, comprising representatives of each member state, the Commission and the shipping industry, met three times during 2004. Minutes of these meetings are available on the EMSA website www.emsa.eu.net together with details of the Agency's 2004 and 2005 work plans. EMSA's technical publications will also be available on its website.

Gibraltar

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the legal system in Gibraltar prevents discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Denis MacShane: Under the constitutional reform proposals, an assessment of the powers required by the UK Government will take full account of the fact that the UK is responsible for Gibraltar's compliance with EU law, including ultimately before the European Court of Justice. We wish to ensure that Gibraltar's constitution is in line with its international obligations, including the European Convention of Human Rights.
	We have previously told the Gibraltar Government that we believe the age of consent should be equalised for homosexual and heterosexual couples to avoid a potential breach of Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the length of queues at the border crossing between Spain and Gibraltar and (b) the average time taken to cross the border.

Denis MacShane: The average delay during the day is between 15 to 30 minutes. However traffic delays occur at peak times of the day and particularly in the summer months, sometimes for up to two hours. This is unacceptable.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in discussions with the Spanish authorities on repairs to the Royal Navy submarine docked in Gibraltar.

Denis MacShane: HMS Sceptre left Gibraltar on 9 February as scheduled. Officials from Spain, the UK and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar discussed the issue of submarine visits to Gibraltar at the tripartite talks in Malaga on 10 February.

International Criminal Tribunal

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other EU governments about the transfer of Ante Gotovina to the International Criminal Tribunal for War Crimes in the former Yugoslavia at The Hague.

Denis MacShane: The UK Government shares the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Chief Prosecutor's concerns about the lack of full Croatian co-operation with the ICTY, as reported to the UN Security Council in November 2004. I have had several conversations with EU member governments about the need to encourage Croatia to accept its international responsibility to deliver Ante Gotovina to The Hague as soon as possible, in order that negotiations can begin as planned on 17 March. Statements by successive meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council have upheld this obligation, which I welcome.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Western Isles (Mr.MacDonald) on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1105W.

Iraq

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people killed in Iraq between 20 March 2003 and 4 April 2004, including Iraqis, coalition forces and other nationalities; and what sources he has used in calculating this figure.

Bill Rammell: We have no way of reliably estimating the total number of Iraqi civilians killed between 20 March 2003 and 4 April 2004. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on this subject of 17 November 2004, Official Report, columns 92–95WS and the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Armed Forces (Mr. Caplin) on 27 January 2005, Official Report, column 541W to the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk (Mr. Simpson).
	We understand from the Ministry of Defence that thenumber of UK service personnel killed between20 March 2003 and 4 April 2004 is 59. The Ministry of Defence state that they do not keep records of Multi-National or coalition forces killed in Iraq. However, they say that open sources show that 721Multi-National or coalition forces, including UK service personnel, were killed during that period.

Iraq

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the net migration into the Kurdish area of northern Iraq since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have no information on migration into the Kurdish area of northern Iraq since 2003. To research this question further would involve our posts making extensive inquiries and commissioning specific research which could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Kurds

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the number of Kurdish people who (a) migrated from the northern part of Iraq during the Saddam Hussein regime to (i) Iran, (ii)Turkey, (iii) Syria and (iv) other countries and (b) have migrated to the northern part of Iraq since the end of the Saddam Hussein regime from (A) Iran, (B)Turkey, (C) Syria and (D) other countries; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have asked our posts in the relevant countries, and UKDel Geneva, to obtain the information requested from the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). It has become clear from the information received that the available figures are incomplete. Furthermore, the categories used to collect data vary from country to country, making it extremely difficult to collate comparable statistics. In many cases, the figures for the ethnic background of refugees are unreliable and the Kurdish element in the overall total for refugees from Iraq is not identified. To obtain further information would involve our posts making extensive inquiries and commissioning specific research which could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The information that we have obtained is set out as follows.
	In Iran, in early 2003, before the mainly" spontaneous repatriation movement, the UNHCR estimates that there were 63,000 camp based and identified non-camp based Iraqi Kurdish refugees. The UNHCR estimates that there are currently 20,000 Iraqi Kurds still in Iran. The UNHCR estimates that there are also some 8,000 Faili Iraqi Kurds in Iran. Some of these are included in the overall number of Iraqi Kurds.
	In Syria, the largest single influx of Iraqi refugees occurred in 1991, when about 8,000 persons, mainly Kurds, arrived. There are currently 234 Kurds registered with the UNHCR office in Damascus.
	In Turkey, the UNHCRs active caseload of Iraqi refugees and asylum-seekers totals 1,576 persons, of whom 227 (14.4 per cent.) are ethnic Kurds. The UNHCR in Turkey has also registered 1,146 Iranian refugees who previously resided in Iraq for varying periods. These refugees are ethnic Kurds who entered Turkey between 2001 and 2003, prior to the onset of hostilities.

Middle East

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what progress has been made in ensuring that women are represented at the Palestine/Israel peace negotiations;
	(2)  whether he supports UN Resolution 1325, calling for women to be represented at the Palestine/Israel peace talks;
	(3)  what representations he has received concerning UN Resolution 1325, on representation of women at the Palestine/Israel peace talks.

Bill Rammell: We supported UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. We are not aware of any representations to British Ministers concerning the application of UNSCR 1325 to the Middle East Peace Process. However, we support efforts to integrate women into the peace process.
	We welcome the participation of Palestinian women in the municipal elections which took place in the West Bank on 23 December 2004. 46 of the 306 newly elected councillors are women. Around half of them won their seats owing to a provision in the electoral law reserving at least two seats per council to women. We wish to see women continuing to play an active role in the Middle East peace process.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received regarding the whereabouts of Krishna Pahadi, founding chairman of the Human Rights and Peace Society of Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Krishna Pahadi was arrested on 9 February and taken from the offices of the Human Rights and Peace Society of Nepal. We have made inquiries, but do not know where he is being held.
	Immediately after the takeover of power by the King we issued a statement with our EU partners which expressed our grave concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our ambassador in Kathmandu raised these issues, including the detention of activists and political leaders, directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised this with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.
	We are at present uncertain how many human rights activists are being detained but we are keeping the situation under review and will continue to press for the immediate release of all political and human rights detainees.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the (A)Government and (B) royal family of Nepal regarding the whereabouts of Krishna Pahadi, founding chairman of the Human Rights and Peace Society of Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: In an audience with the King on 8 February, our ambassador in Nepal raised our concerns about the suspension of civil liberties and called for the immediate release of all political and human rights detainees. In my statement of 1 February, I expressed the UK Government's grave concerns about the situation in Nepal and called for the immediate restitution of multi-party democracy. We understand that Krishna Pahadi was arrested on 9 February and have sought to find out where he is being detained. We will continue to press for the release of all political and human rights detainees.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of people (i)arrested and (ii) detained under house arrest since the dissolution of the Government of Nepal by King Gyanendra on 1 February and (b) how many of these people are members of the (A) Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist Party and (B) People's Front; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: On the information available to us we estimate that around 125 people were arrested following the actions by the King of Nepal on 1 February 2005, of whom nine were detained under house arrest. Because of media and other restrictions, we may not be aware of all those arrested, especially outside Kathmandu. Of the 125, 19 were members of the Unified Marxist Leninist party and one was a member of the United People's Front. A number of those detainees have now been released, although some party leaders still remain in detention.
	Immediately after the takeover of power by the King we issued a statement with our EU partners which expressed our grave concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our Ambassador in Kathmandu raised our concerns, including the detention of political leaders, directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised this with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the terms of the state of emergency proclaimed by King Gyanendra in Nepal on 1 February, with particular reference to public meetings and demonstrations; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The King's takeover of power in Nepal on 1 February was accompanied by the imposition of a state of emergency which included the suspension of many fundamental rights. These included the right to association, the right to freedom of expression, the right to property, the right against preventative detention and the rights of the press.
	The UK is deeply concerned by the measures taken under the state of emergency and believes they undermine the institutions of democracy and increase the risk of instability in Nepal. Our Ambassador in Kathmandu raised our concerns directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. On 14 February my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced that we were recalling our Ambassador from Kathmandu for consultations in view of the seriousness of the situation.

Nepal

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the willingness of the leadership of the Royal Nepal Army to negotiate with the Maoists.

Douglas Alexander: The King's move to dismiss the Prime Minister and assume power outside the framework of a multi-party democratic system will unfortunately, probably put back the prospect of any negotiated settlement. In our view negotiation with the Maoists should be the responsibility of a representative civilian government, to which the Royal Nepalese Army is accountable.

Nepal

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what type of UK military personnel have worked with the Royal Nepalese Army during the past 12months.

Douglas Alexander: In the past 12 months 20 UK military personnel have visited Nepal to assist and train the Royal Nepalese Army. This includes mechanical, electrical and stores specialists, and one person who attended a mountain warfare course run by the Nepalese military. There have also been some individual visits in relation to the supply of short take-off and landing aircraft to the Government of Nepal.

Nepal

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likelihood of military success by the Royal Nepal Army against the Maoists.

Douglas Alexander: The UK has consistently held the view that there can be no military resolution and that a negotiated political settlement involving all parties offers the best way to resolve the conflict in Nepal and to create a stable democracy with good governance and respect for human rights. We will continue to press all parties for an early return to negotiations.

Somalia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the (a) impact on the stability of Somalia of and (b) likelihood of delays to the planned move of the Somali Government from Kenya to Somalia as announced by Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi on 9 February; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We welcome Prime Minister Gedi's statement that the Transitional Federal Government will begin to return to Somalia on 21 February. We believe the establishment of a functioning government will help to restore stability and law and order and bring about an improvement in economic conditions for the population. Security remains a key concern, but discussions inside and outside Somalia are under way to assist the process of stabilisation and demilitarisation.
	Any judgment as to the timing of the move must be for the Transitional Federal Government. Delays are possible but a successful outcome will be more important than timing.

Somalia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the efforts undertaken by the (a) African Union and (b) Arab League to facilitate the move of the Somali Government from Kenya to Somalia on 21 February; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The African Union is actively supporting the Somalia peace and reconciliation process and has offered to provide a Peace Support Mission. It has also mandated the Inter-Governmental Group on Development countries, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda to provide troops and/or equipment as an interim peace support mission to provide security for the Transitional Federal Government after its relocation to Somalia.
	The Arab League has also been asked by the Transitional Federal Government to provide peace support, and is considering the request.
	Any deployment would be subject to confirmation by the Somali Parliament and UN Security Council authorisation.

Somalia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance (a) the UK and (b) the EU (i) have offered, (ii) are delivering and (iii) will be delivering to facilitate (A) the move of the Somali Government from Kenya to Somalia on 21 February and (B) the normalisation of the situation in Somalia after the government's move; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The British contribution to the reconciliation process leading to the creation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) will be £365,000. Further assistance for the Government's relocation to Somalia and its immediate needs has been set aside, but the scale and timing of the disbursements will have to be decided in consultation with the TFG and in the light of developments. Further substantial UK bilateral aid to Somalia will be available if the TFG can create the security conditions in which it can be delivered effectively.
	A number of European Union member states as well as other members of the International Community have contributed to the reconciliation process and are considering making further contributions. The European Commission has been the principal donor of EU funds to the Somali National Reconciliation Conference, including for the relocation of MPs and conference delegates; and is considering how it may support the Transitional Federal Government's relocation plans.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Uganda regarding (a) military incursions into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and (b) the illegal exploitation of natural resources from the DRC.

Chris Mullin: We regularly discuss the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the Ugandan Government. I last raised the subject with President Museveni during my visit to Uganda in August. We have consistently reminded Uganda to play a constructive role in the DRC peace process, and of its obligations to respect the DRC's territorial integrity.
	We are working to end the illegal exploitation of natural resources so that the DRC's mineral wealth can be used for the benefit of the Congolese people. We have urged regional governments on several occasions to do more to prevent illegal resource exploitation.

Venezuala

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Venezuela on further entrenchment of democracy in the region.

Bill Rammell: During my recent visit to Venezuela, I encouraged the Venezuelan Government to work for national reconciliation following the presidential recall referendum in 2004.
	We continue to work with governments, NGOs and other donors on good governance issues in Venezuela and the wider region.
	Further details about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) work in the field of promoting democracy are contained in Chapter 8 of the FCO's annual human rights report for 2004, available on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/humanrights.

CABINET OFFICE

Freedom of Information

Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what involvement he has had in co-ordinating policy across Departments in respect of the answering of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Alan Milburn: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor has the policy lead on the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	I am a member of the Cabinet Committee MISC 28 whose terms of reference are to
	oversee the Government's strategy of Freedom of Information and the commencement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000".

Government Vehicles

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received concerning the external marking of dual fuel vehicles within the Government car fleet;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that dual fuel vehicles in the Government car fleet are externally marked as such for the protection of fire fighters in the event of a fire or accident involving such vehicles.

David Miliband: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library and will be printed in the Official Report.
	Letter from Nick Matheson to Mr. Philip Hammond, dated 23 February 2005
	The Minister for the Cabinet Office has asked me in my capacity as the Chief Executive responsible for the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to reply to your Parliamentary Questions the external marking of LPG powered cars.
	GCDA has received no representations about the external marking of LPG powered vehicles. There is no legal requirement for such vehicles to be externally marked and so we do not add any extra markings to our car fleet over and above those provided by the manufacturers or LPG converter companies.

Staff Training

George Osborne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the costs of departmental (a) staff training days and (b) staff development days held away from the Department were in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The Cabinet Office is committed to providing access to training for staff and developing them to their full potential. However, it is not possible to provide information on costs of staff training days and staff development days held away from the Department since 1997, as these costs are not separately identifiable on the Department's accounting system. It cannot therefore be readily retrieved without incurring disproportionate cost.

Targets

George Osborne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many targets have been set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and, of these, which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer he received from my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary of the Treasury (Mr. Timms) on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 75W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up of the (a) Access to Work Scheme, (b) Job Introduction Scheme and (c) New Deal for Disabled People was in each region in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many requests for early entry into (i) other New Deal programmes and (ii) Workstep were received.

Maria Eagle: The available information on the take-up of the Access to Work programme, the Job Introduction Scheme and the New Deal for Disabled People programme is in the tables.
	
		Access to Work—starts to the programme
		
			 Jobcentre Plus region/country New beneficiaries— from April 2003 to March 2004 Existing beneficiaries— on 31 March 2003 Total 
		
		
			 East of England 967 1,289 2,256 
			 East Midlands 1,699 988 2,687 
			 London 1,058 2,207 3,265 
			 North East 750 743 1,493 
			 North West 1,637 2,562 4,199 
			 Scotland 1,475 2,396 3,871 
			 South East 1,546 2,225 3,771 
			 South West 1,695 1,758 3,453 
			 Wales 973 2,537 3,510 
			 West Midlands 1,279 1,426 2,705 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 2,354 1,280 3,634 
			 Total 15,433 19,411 34,844 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.New beneficiary figures relate to people receiving Access to Work assistance for the first time, and data are for the financial year April 2003-March 2004.
	2.Existing beneficiary figures relate to people who were new beneficiaries in a previous financial year and who continued to receive help in the financial year April 2003-March 2004.
	3.Data provided are for the latest complete financial year.
	Source:
	DWP Disability and Rehabilitation Division
	
		Job Introduction Scheme—spend and average numbers helped
		
			 Jobcentre Plus region/country Total spend (£) Average numbers helped 
		
		
			 East of England 60,992 135 
			 East Midlands 41,879 95 
			 London 42,577 95 
			 North East 90,356 200 
			 North West 63,503 140 
			 Scotland 98,346 220 
			 South East 103,971 230 
			 South West 82,931 185 
			 Wales 93,914 210 
			 West Midlands 125,915 280 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 90,370 200 
			 Total 894,755 1,990 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Information on numbers of people starting the Job Introduction Scheme is not
	collected. Figures for numbers helped through the Job Introduction Scheme are based on a Job Introduction Scheme participant spending an average period of six weeks on the programme at a cost of £75 per week.
	2.Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	3.Average numbers helped figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	Source:
	DWP Disability and Rehabilitation Division
	
		New Deal for Disabled People—registrations withNew Deal for Disabled People Job Brokers
		
			 Jobcentre Plus region/country Number of registrations 
		
		
			 Scotland 5,110 
			 North East 5,770 
			 North West 6,780 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 3,640 
			 Wales 6,900 
			 West Midlands 3,390 
			 East Midlands 2,440 
			 East of England 1,900 
			 South East 3,160 
			 London 3,850 
			 Great Britain 49,850 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Data are latest available information and relates to the total number of registrations in the period October 2003 to September 2004.
	2.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and total may not sum due to rounding.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate
	There is no early entry criteria for the New Deal 50 plus programme and all entrants must have been in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit for six months. People joining New Deal for Disabled People can have immediate entry as long as they are in receipt of a qualifying benefit. People joining New Deal for Partners can have immediate entry to the programme as soon as their partner makes a claim for a qualifying benefit. All single parents with a youngest child under the age of 16, who are not working, or working less than 16 hours a week, can join New Deal for Lone Parents immediately.
	There are a range of eligibility criteria for entry onto the Workstep programme. However, when a person does not meet the criteria, discretionary decisions can be made to enable early entry to take place. Between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004, a total of 59 discretionary decision applications were received by Jobcentre Plus, of which 54 were accepted. Between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2004, a total of 115 discretionary decision applications were received, of which 109 were accepted.
	Information on early entrants to the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus programmes is in the table.
	
		Early entrants to New Deal for Young People andNew Deal 25 plus
		
			  New Deal for Young People New Deal 25 plus 
		
		
			 Total starts 160,660 95,820 
			 of which:   
			 Early entrants 29,590 20,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Data refer to the period October 2003-September 2004—latest available figures.
	2.Figures refer to total starts and could include people who have started these programmes more than once.
	Source:
	New Deal Database, DWP Information Directorate

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received incapacity benefit in each (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of the working population these totals amounted to in each case.

Maria Eagle: Working age population estimates are not available by parliamentary constituency. The available information has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who received incapacity benefit had a net benefit receipt of (a) zero and (b) less than £20 a week after assessment with other means-tested benefits in the last period for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Working age claimants of incapacity benefit (IB) or severe disablement allowance (SDA) by amount of income support received: August 2004 -- Number
		
			  All IB/SDA claimants IB/SDA claimants not also in receipt of income support IB/SDA claimants also in receipt of income support 
		
		
			 All IB/SDA  claimants 2,661,000 1,390,300 1,270,700 
			 
			 Weekly amount of income support 
			 Zero 1,390,300 1,390,300 n/a 
			 £0.01 to £19.99 167,800 n/a 167,800 
			 £20 and over 1,102.9 n/a 1,102,900 
		
	
	n/a=Not applicable.
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding
	2.Working age claimants are men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. Working Age Client Group sample.
	
		Housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) recipients also claiming incapacity benefit (IB) or severe disability allowance (SDA) by weekly amount of HB/CTB, and whether or not income support is also in payment: May 2003 -- Number
		
			  All IB/SDA claimants also in receipt of HB/CTB IB/SDA claimants also in receipt of HB/CTB but not also in receipt of income support IB/SDA claimants also in receipt of HB/CTB and also in receipt of income support 
		
		
			 All IB/SDA claimants also in receipt of  HB/CTB 670,000 280,000 390,000 
			 
			 Weekly amount of HB/CTB 
			 £0.01 to £19.99 150,000 60,000 90,000 
			 £20 and over 510,000 220,000 290,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest ten thousand. The totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2.The figures are based on a one per cent sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	3.The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	4.Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	5.Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	6.All overlaps between HB and CTB recipients have been removed.
	Source:
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual one per cent sample, taken in May 2003.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken is for the completion of a personal capability assessment for (a) incapacity benefit claimants and (b) income support claimants in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Doctors spend as long as is required to carry out an appropriate assessment for each individual claimant. Some types of disabling conditions will take longer than others to assess, depending on the nature of the individual's physical and/or mental disabilities.
	No breakdown is available by which benefit is in payment.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		National average time taken to complete the personal capability assessment
		
			  Minutes 
		
		
			 2000 37.8 
			 2001 37.1 
			 2002 35.2 
			 2003 35.8 
			 2004 (January to August) 36.9 
		
	
	Note:
	The information requested is not available for the period 1997 to 1999
	Source:
	Atos Origin

Incapacity Benefit

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average time taken to process a claim for incapacity benefit was in each year since 1975;
	(2)  what the average time taken to process a claim for income support was in each year since 1975;
	(3)  what the average time taken to process a claim for income-based jobseeker's allowance was in each year since 1975;
	(4)  what the average time taken to process a claim for contribution-based jobseeker's allowance was in each year since 1975.

Chris Pond: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Howard Flight, dated 23 February 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply directly to your questions concerning the average time taken to process a claim for Incapacity Benefit, Income Support, Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance and Contribution-Based Jobseeker's Allowance in each year since 1975. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus sets internal performance measures for managing its workloads in addition to the published targets set by Ministers. These internal measures include clearance times for Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. Currently, these internal measures are being met.
	You will see from the following tables that the Average Actual Clearance Time for each of the benefits shown has increased, although our performance targets are still
	being met. The upward trend in clearance times reflects the greater emphasis on secure and accurate payment of benefit. Changes to the Claims and Payments regulations in 1997 put the onus of proof on customers to provide supporting evidence for a claim.
	Increasing effort has been applied to enforcing this regime and we believe that this has been reflected in reductions in fraud (fraud and error losses have reduced by 37 per cent. between 1998 and 2004).
	There has also been a significant period of change across the Department; the creation of Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service involved considerable movement of staff between the two agencies and consequently required the training
	of new benefit processing officers.
	Incapacity Benefit
	Figures are only available from April 1998. The available information is in the table.
	
		Average processing times for incapacity benefit claims.
		
			 Calendar year Average actual clearance time (days) 
		
		
			 April-December 1998 11.9 
			 1999 15.9 
			 2000 16.0 
			 2001 15.7 
			 2002 16.2 
			 2003 15.7 
			 2004 16.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Central Data Unit for figures up to and including July 2004; Management Information Systems Programme 04 (MISP04) from August 2004 to December 2004.
	Income Support
	Figures are only available from April 1994. The available information is in the table.
	
		Average processing times for income support claims
		
			 Calendar year Average actual clearance time (days) 
		
		
			 April to December 1994 5.6 
			 1995 6.1 
			 1996 7.0 
			 1997 7.6 
			 1998 8.8 
			 1999 9.2 
			 2000 9.2 
			 2001 9.9 
			 2002 8.7 
			 2003 10.3 
			 2004 10.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Central Data Unit for figures up to and including July 2004; Management Information Systems Programme 04 (MISP04) from August 2004 to December 2004.
	Jobseeker's Allowance
	Figures are not available broken down by type of Jobseeker's Allowance. Figures are only available from 1997. The available information is in the table.
	
		Average processing times for jobseeker's allowance claims
		
			 Calendar year Average actual clearance time (days) 
		
		
			 1997 8.1 
			 1998 8.7 
			 1999 9.7 
			 2000 9.1 
			 2001 9.6 
			 2002 10.2 
			 2003 10.8 
			 2004 12.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Central Data Unit for figures up to and including July 2004; Management Information Systems Programme 04 (MISP04) from August 2004 to December 2004.
	I hope this is helpful.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list other benefits available to incapacity benefit recipients; and what changes there have been in recipient numbers of each benefit in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The key benefits available to incapacity benefit claimants are income support, disability living allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit. The information on the total numbers receiving these benefits is in the table.
	
		Income support, disability living allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit caseloads in Great Britain, 2000–04(at May each year)
		
			 As at May: Income support Disability living allowance Housing benefit Council tax benefit 
		
		
			 2000 3,810,500 2,130,500 4,033,300 4,830,100 
			 2001 3,927,900 2,240,500 3,874,400 4,673,400 
			 2002 3,929,800 2,353,500 3,812,600 4,601,700 
			 2003 3,982,200 2,475,000 3,796,400 4,627,800 
			 2004 2,171,500 2,585,800 3,879,400 4,800,200 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	2.The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	3.From November 2003 income support figures are severely affected by the introduction of pension credit, which replaced minimum income guarantee on 6 October 2003. Pension credit cases are not included in the figures in the table.
	4.Disability living allowance figures are adjusted to take out late terminations.
	5.Housing benefit and council tax benefit figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.
	6.Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	7.Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples and Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in May 2000 to 2004.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people left incapacity benefit, broken down by destination, in the last period for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The available information is in the following table.
	
		All incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance terminations in the quarter ending 31 August 2004, by reason for termination
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 All terminations 125,300 
			   
			 Closed certificate 35,700 
			 Death of claimant 7,100 
			 Retirement pension award 16,700 
			 At request of claimant 15,200 
			 Did not attend medical 8,500 
			 Did not return questionnaire 3,700 
			 Failed own occupation test 800 
			 Failed personal capability assessment 27,600 
			 Return to work and also applied for 52-week linking 6,600 
			 Other reason 3,300 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2.Figures include all incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance and credits-only cases.
	3.Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total incapacity benefit only terminations for August 2003 increased by 34 per cent. in the year following their initial release.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample.

Income-related Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget has been for (a) income support, (b) the disability premium, (c) incapacity benefit and (d) other income-related benefits in each of the past five years.

Chris Pond: The available information is in the following table.
	
		Benefit expenditure in real terms, 2004–05 prices -- £ million
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Income support for people aged under 60 9,346 10,044 10,434 10,239 10,369 
			 Of which:  
			 With a disability premium 4,057 4,398 4,701 4,563 4,719 
			 Income support/minimum income guarantee/pension credit for people aged 60 and over 4,256 4,557 4,868 4,708 4,896 
			 Incapacity benefit 7,644 7,530 7,324 7,095 6,861 
			 Jobseeker's allowance (income-based) 3,148 2,710 2,318 2,210 2,091 
			 Housing benefit and discretionary housing payments 12,457 12,426 12,577 13,268 12,722 
			 Council tax benefit 2,827 2,865 2,914 2,975 3,342 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.All figures have been rounded to the nearest million pound.
	2.Figures quoted for 1999–2000 to 2002–03 are actual outturn and those quoted 2003–04 are estimated outturn.
	3.Income support expenditure has been provided separately for people aged under 60 and people aged 60 and over. Expenditure for those aged 60 and over includes minimum income guarantee and pension credit.
	4.It is not possible to accurately state expenditure on the disability premium paid within income support. Rather than make any assumptions about the level of disability premium expenditure, all expenditure on people who receive a disability premium has been included.
	5.Incapacity benefit is not an income-related benefit.
	Source: DWP expenditure tables.

Income-related Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of income support with disability premium left the benefit, broken down by destination, in the last period for which figures are available.

Chris Pond: The information is in the table.
	
		Terminations of income support (IS) with disability-premium (DP) claimants between 1 December 2003 to 29 February 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 All IS DP terminations in period 44,800 
			 Moved to jobseekers allowance within 91 days of termination 4,000 
			 Moved to IS and/or incapacity benefit within 91 days of termination 10,400 
			 Moved to pension credit within 91 days of termination 6,700 
			 Other destination 23,700 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2.The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
	3.Only the first destination has been taken into account. The claimant may have had more than one benefit claim to one or more benefits within the 91 day period. However we have recorded their first claim only.
	4.Other destinations are all claimants who have not had a claim to jobseekers allowance, income support, incapacity benefit or pension credit within 91 days of their IS DP claim terminating. They may have returned to one of these benefits at a later date, received another benefit, started employment, died, or left income support for an unknown reason.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. Terminations' dataset

Pathways to Work

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on the Pathways to Work Programme since it was created; what his estimated expenditure on these pilots is for the next three years; and what the cost has been (a) per client and (b) per incapacity benefit claimant in the relevant area.

Maria Eagle: The information concerning expenditure is in the tables.
	
		Expenditure on Pathway to Work pilots
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Jobcentre Plus services 16,252,190 
			 Customer payments 6,154,550 
			 Other categories of payment 24,586,450 
			 Total 46,993,190 
		
	
	Note:
	1.The figure for Jobcentre Plus services is actual spend. The figures shown for customer payments and other categories are estimated. These estimates are based on the anticipated volume of customers who will access the various elements of provision and the average cost of that provision.
	Source:
	DWP administrative data.
	
		Estimated expenditure on Pathway to Work pilots over the next three years
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2005–06 84,300,000 
			 2006–07 148,800,000 
			 2007–08 165,900,000 
		
	
	Note:
	These estimates are based on the anticipated volume of customers who will access the various elements of provision and the average cost of that provision.
	As the pilots are still at a relatively early stage it is not possible to give a meaningful figure for the average cost per client or per incapacity benefit claimant in the relevant area. This is because there will be a disproportionate number of customers in the early stages of the pilot (compared to the steady state) and because early figures include an element of start-up costs.

Telephone Helplines

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many telephone helplines his Department sponsors; and how many calls each helpline received on the latest date for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The following table lists DWP helplines and the approximate number of inbound calls each helpline deals with on a weekly basis.
	
		
			  Sites Approximate number inbound calls per week (network) 
		
		
			 Child Support Agency   
			 CSA national helpline 7 15,000 
			
			 Disability and Carers Service 
			 Benefit inquiry line 1 33,200 
			 Disability living allowance/attendance allowance 1 109,000 
			
			 The Pension Service   
			 Pension centres 24 249,810 
			 Pension credit application line (outsourced to Ventura) 1 46,840 
			 Retirement pension teleclaims 1 11,478 
			 Retirement pension forecasting team 1 29,516 
			 Winter fuel helpline 1 10,866 
			 Inherited SERPS 1 436 
			 Pension guide orderline 1 542 
			 Pension information line 1 1,453 
			 Pensions direct 1 20,822 
			 International pension centre 1 4,679 
			
			 Jobcentre Plus   
			 Employer direct 11 41,538 
			 Of which:   
			 From employers — 38,100 
			 From jobcentre plus offices — 3,438 
			 Jobcentre plus direct: jobseeker direct 17 220,855 
			 Jobcentre plus direct: first contact 39 98,879 
			
			 Debt Management   
			 Debt centres (debt recovery service which is not specifically a helpline service) 10 16,236 
			
			 DWP   
			 National benefit fraud hotline 1 2,989 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are updated on a monthly basis and are correct as at 2 February 2005.

Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Disabled People will reply to the letter of 13 December from the hon. Member for Northavon regarding a constituent, Karen Walker.

Maria Eagle: I have replied to the hon. Member today.

New Deal

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people who entered the new deal for (a) young people and (b) partners have found sustained employment since each programme was launched (i) in total and (ii)broken down by constituency.

Jane Kennedy: The new deal has been successful in helping more than 1.2 million people into work and new deal for young people has contributed to this success by helping more than half a million young people into employment.
	People who return to jobseeker's allowance after finding a job through the new deal have added to their skills and experience, making it easier for them to find a job in the future. In addition, when they re-enter the new deal, people move into work sooner than they did the first time they were on the programme because they have recent experience of work, and have more jobsearch skills.
	Between April 1999 and March 2004, 7,820 people started the new deal for partners programme, of which 1,870 people have gained a job. Information on new deal for partners is not available at constituency level. A measure of sustainability is not available for new deal for partners.
	The available information has been placed in the Library.

Five-year Strategy

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether, under the plans published in his Department's five-year strategy, a claimant suffering from a condition which is serious enough to prevent them from doing any kind of work for a period of time, but which is expected to be temporary, would receive the rehabilitation support allowance or the disability and sickness allowance;
	(2)  what scope there would be, under the plans published in his Department's five-year strategy, for claimants to move from the rehabilitation support allowance to the disability and sickness allowance and vice versa.

Maria Eagle: Rehabilitation and support allowance will be for people with less severe impairments that can be well managed with the right support and so need not be a major long- term obstacle to getting back to work. Disability and sickness allowance will focus more on those with the most severe impairments where the health problem or disability will, for some time, form a very significant obstacle to getting back to work. However, we know many people with severe impairments still do work, and want to do so. Disability and sickness allowance recipients will still be able to access any appropriate programme or financial support.
	The basis of the division between the two benefits will be the severity of functional limitation as a result of a health condition or disability. Much more detailed work and consultation will be required in order for us to establish a settled boundary between the two allowances and how we provide for movement between the two.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Judicial Appointments

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time judicial officer appointments have been made in each year since 1975.

David Lammy: pursuant to his reply, 9 February 2005, c. 1609W
	I listed incorrect figures in tables 1A, 1B and 2. The amendments are now underlined in tables 1A, 1B and 2 as follows.
	Table 2 is also amended to clearly show the separate figures for the Lord Chancellor's appointment of lay magistrates (excluding the Duchy of Lancaster) and appointments made in the Duchy of Lancaster (for which the Lord Chancellor does not appoint).
	Tables 1A and 1B show full-time appointments for the calendar years 1975–1997. The figures include appointments of Judicial officers to full-time Tribunal posts for Tribunals administered by DCA (formerly Lord Chancellor's Department) but exclude those administered by other Government Departments (such as the Employment Tribunal and The Appeal Service and its pre 1999 predecessor The Independent Tribunal Service). These tables also include lay magistrates appointments from 1990 onwards.
	The figures for the early years are drawn from very old records and as such cannot be verified as 100 per cent. correct.
	
		Table 1A: 1975 to 1984
		
			  Full-time appointments 
		
		
			 1975 45 
			 1976 46 
			 1977 43 
			 1978 57 
			 1979 39 
			 1980 65 
			 1981 41 
			 1982 53 
			 1983 48 
			 1984 62 
		
	
	
		Table 1B: 1985 to 1994 Full-time and Lay Magistrates appointments
		
			  Full-time Lay magistrates 
		
		
			 1985 53 n/a 
			 1986 82 n/a 
			 1987 54 n/a 
			 1988 60 n/a 
			 1989 54 n/a 
			 1990 55 2,059 
			 1991 92 2,017 
			 1992 120 2,070 
			 1993 127 2,062 
			 1994 91 1,593 
			 1995 110 1,843 
			 1996 100 1,682 
			 1997 66 1,573 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	
		Table 2: 1998–99 to 2003–04 Full-time, part-time (fee paid) and Lay Magistrates appointments
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Full-time 148 95 198 125 156 126 
			 Part-time 486 369 555 790 541 354 
			 Total 634 464 753 915 697 480 
			
			 Lay magistrates:   
			 Lord Chancellor Appointments 1,278 1,423 1,366 1,474 1,410 1,478 
			 Appointments in the Duchy of Lancaster n/a n/a 252 312 213 280 
			 Total 1,278 1,423 1,618 1,786 1,623 1,758 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.

Sickness Absence

Philip Hammond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps his Department is taking to reduce the numbers of sick days taken by staff in the Department.

David Lammy: We are developing new attendance management policies and systems to be introduced in the spring. These will place greater accountability on managers to deal with absence and take into account recommendations of the recently published Managing Attendance in the Public Sector report. They will introduce a more robust approach to reviewing absence on both short and long-term sickness focusing on earlier management interventions. Our overall approach revolves around building management capability, through training and support, to underpin the new policies.
	In the medium term we have work under way to better understand patterns of sickness absence and what actions will have the greatest leverage to bring overall absence levels down. This will enable us to develop a revised attendance management strategy.

HEALTH

Animal Insulin Supplies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recent interruption of supply of animal insulin from CP Pharmaceuticals.

Rosie Winterton: CP Pharmaceuticals (now Wockhardt UK) experienced production difficulties, but these have now been fully resolved and supply of all affected products will be back to normal by mid February to early March. There has been available a minimum of one presentation of each of the company's animal insulins at all times.

Anti-depressants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's review of tricyclic drugs will take account of the safety of future classes of anti-depressant drug.

Rosie Winterton: The committee on safety of medicines' expert working group on the safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors has made recommendations for the conduct of future clinical trials of antidepressants. A copy of its report is available in the Library. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will take forward these recommendations within the European drug regulatory system.

Assertive Outreach Teams

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the powers available to assertive outreach teams to assist them in carrying out their functions.

Rosie Winterton: As set out in the mental health policy implementation guide (2001), assertive outreach is responsible for providing the full range of interventions to support the service user and his/her carers for sustained periods. Assertive outreach staff should have the skills and training to co-ordinate care and provide a broad range of interventions, including the delivery of care and treatment under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Care Standards

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that persons making applications to the Commission for Care Standards Inspection in different areas are not required (a) to furnish and (b) to pay for separate Criminal Records Bureau checks in respect of each application to a different office.

Stephen Ladyman: All care workers and registered providers of care homes, domiciliary care agencies and adult placement schemes must have a Protection of Vulnerable Adults (PoVA) check before they start work. Access to a check is through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). Therefore, a PoVA check also includes a CRB check.
	The requirement for charging for a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check is set out in the Police Act 1997. There is no provision in the legislation for allowing an application to be made without payment of a fee.

Children's Burns Unit (Newcastle)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what review his Department is undertaking of children's burns units; and whether the closure of the children's burns unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle is under consideration.

Melanie Johnson: The national burn care group is considering options for reconfiguration of specialist burns services across England and Wales. Decisions have not yet been made regarding the development of burn care centres and any proposals for change will be subject to a full public consultation process.

Chorley Hospital

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many babies were born at Chorley Hospital in each of the last three years; and how many mothers and babies transferred to Chorley after childbirth at Preston in the last period for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The numbers of live births occurring in Chorley and District Hospital in 2001 to 2003 are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 252 
			 2002 210 
			 2003 229 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.
	Information about the transfer of mothers and babies to a specific hospital is not collected centrally.

Correspondence

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Minister of State will reply to the letter dated 30 November 2004 about the projected overspend by the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals Trust.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The hon. Member's original letter was not received in the Department. We now have a copy and we will reply as soon as possible, and within the Department's target time for reply of 20 days.

Dentistry

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2005, Official Report, column 546W on dentistry, how many dental practices were on the nhs.uk database, including those not registering new patients; how many were registering new patients; how many were not registering new patients but providing occasional NHS treatment to non-registered patients; and how many were not registering new patients or providing occasional NHS treatment to non-registered patients.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 10 February 2005
	As of 31 December 2004, there were 8,931 general and personal dental practices in England.
	On 10 February 2005, there were 8,447 general and personal dental practices shown on the nhs.uk website as able to accept at least one category of patient for registration or occasional treatment under the national health service.
	The number of general (GDS) and personal dental service (PDS) practices shown on the website either as willing to register new NHS patients and/or accept them for occasional treatment on 24 November 2004, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  GDS PDS Total 
		
		
			 Registering children aged 0 to 18 years for NHS treatment 3,533 164 3,697 
			 Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment 2,615 143 2,758 
			 Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment 2,273 139 2,412 
			 Providing occasional NHS treatment to non registered patients 1,281 134 1,415

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) adults and (b) children are registered with dentists (i) operating under General Dental Service contracts, (ii) operating under Personal Dental Service contracts and (iii) in total.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the percentage of adults and children registered with dentists operating under general dental service (GDS) contracts, operating under personal dental service (PDS) contracts and the total. These figures are for England as of 31 December 2004.
	
		
			   Registered with dentist 
			  Population (Million) Number (Million) Percentage 
		
		
			 Adult
			 GDS 38.8 13.8 36 
			 PDS 38.8 3.1 8 
			 Total 38.8 16.9 44 
			 Children
			 GDS 11.1 5.7 51 
			 PDS 11.1 1.1 10 
			 Total 11.1 6.8 61 
			 Total(4) adults and children 
			 GDS 49.9 19.5 39 
			 PDS 49.9 4.2 8 
			 Total 49.9 23.7 47 
		
	
	(4)Figures for total registrations regardless of age

Dentistry

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1) if he will list the names and addresses of the dentists in Kent still accepting new NHS patients;
	(2)  if he will list the dentists in Kent that have closed their lists to NHS patients during the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Under the Data Protection Act, we are not able to receive or pass on details relating to individual dentists.
	The following table shows primary care trusts (PCTs) in the county of Kent, which are wholly or partially accepting the registration of new patients. Further information, including the addresses of dental practices, which are accepting national health service patients is available at www.nhs.uk. Information is not available centrally on individual dentists that have closed their lists to NHS patients.
	
		
			 PCTs Total practices in PCT Registering children aged 0 to 18 years for NHS treatment Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment 
		
		
			 5CM—Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley 33 16 15 8 
			 5FF—South West Kent 43 17 6 6 
			 5L2—Maidstone Weald 43 16 2 2 
			 5L3—Medway 40 24 17 12 
			 5L4—Swale 14 4 5 3 
			 5LL—Ashford 17 4 1 — 
			 5LM—Canterbury and Coastal 30 6 1 — 
			 5LN—East Kent Coastal 37 (5)— (5)— (5)— 
			 5LP—Shepway 20 4 2 — 
			 Grand total 277 91 49 31 
		
	
	(5)Not accepting any new NHS patients for treatment.
	Source:
	nhs.uk website
	In 2004, there were 37 complete leavers" in the county of Kent in the last 12 months, as of 31 December 2004.

Departmental Budgets

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Department's central budgets for (a) 2006–07, (b) 2007–08 and (c) 2008–09 will be published.

John Hutton: Central budgets for 2006–07 and 2007–08 are in the process of being finalised and will be published in due course. Central budgets for 2008–09 form part of the next spending review settlement.

Departmental Policies (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to the constituency, the effect on Chorley of his Department's policies and actions since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Chorley constituency. For example:
	At the end of November 2004, the number of people waiting more than nine months for in-patient treatment within Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust (PCT) had fallen to zero, from 247 in June 2002.
	At the end of September 2004, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for out-patient treatment within Chorley and South Ribble PCT had fallen to 362, from 1,655 in June 2002.
	Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Chorley and South Ribble PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a primary care professional within two working days, an improvement from 54.5 per cent, in June 2002.
	Chorley and South Ribble PCT's financial allocation increased to £188.2 million for 2004–05, a real terms increase of 6.9 per cent. This will increase to £266.7 million in 2007–08.
	In June 2003, at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, 92.5 per cent., of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for September 2004 show an improvement to 97.1 per cent.
	Between September 2002 and June 2004, the number of consultants at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 167 to 170.
	In the Chorley local authority (LA) area, death rates from cancer per 100,000 population have fallen from 218.1 in 1997 to 174.4 in 2003.
	In the Chorley LA area, death rates from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population have fallen to 128.6 in 2003, from 194.3 in 1997.
	In April 2003, a new £700,000 dermatology and diabetes centre opened at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.
	In 2002, a new £1.6 million 30 bed medical ward was opened at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.
	A replacement computed tomography scanner was delivered to Royal Preston Hospital in November 2002.
	The Royal Preston Hospital has received two additional linear accelerators; one in August 2001 and another in January 2002.
	Sources:
	Department of Health. Office for National Statistics.

Diamorphine

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of whether Wockhardt's production of diamorphine will be sufficient to meet NHS requirements; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list the alternative medicines his Department has recommended for use in the NHS for pain management while supplies of diamorphine are being addressed; whether these alternative medicines require additional equipment in order to administer them; and what additional resources are being made available to the NHS for pain management;
	(3)  what arrangements he has made with alternative (a) UK and (b) foreign suppliers of diamorphine to the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: The national health service Purchasing and Supply Agency is continuing to monitor the supply situation closely. Wockhardt has increased its production and these extra supplies are being distributed to the NHS.
	The decision about transferring patients to alternative medicines is a clinical one and needs to be determined by the prescribing doctor, taking into account all the circumstances of a particular case. Interim clinical guidance was issued to healthcare professionals on 23 December 2004 and this is being updated by the Association for Palliative Medicine.
	Equipment for administration of medicines is available through the normal channels.
	The Department allocates revenue funding to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. In the allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06, none of the substantial growth money has been identified for specific purposes.
	It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use these funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	Departmental officials are in close contact with manufacturers of diamorphine regarding United Kingdom supply. However, the details are commercially confidential.

Fertility Treatment

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on the extension of the availability of in vitro fertilisation treatment to all who require it in all areas of England.

Melanie Johnson: We have made it clear to primary care trusts (PCTs) that we are looking to those which provide no in vitro fertilisation treatment (IVF) to meet a minimum national level of provision of one cycle of IVF by April 2005. We know that PCTs are working together to commission services to take account of this and the clinical guideline produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. In the longer term, we expect the national health service to make progress to full implementation of the guideline.

Fluoride

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the maximum safe daily intake of fluoride.

Melanie Johnson: There are no known adverse effects on health at fluoride intakes below those causing clinical skeletal fluorosis. This condition appears to require fluoride intakes of at least 10 milligrams daily for at least 10 years. Skeletal fluorosis in the United Kingdom appears to be non-existent—with the exception of a reported case in 1966—see Webb-Peploe MM, Bradley WG (1966): Endemic fluorosis with neurological complications in a Hampshire man"—Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Vol. 29, pp. 577–584.

General Practitioners

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there were for each 100,000 of population in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1997.

John Hutton: Information on the number of general practitioners (excluding retainers, registrars and locums) per 100,000 weighted population in England broken down by strategic health authority and by primary care trust in each year since March 2002 has been placed in the Library.
	Information prior to 2002 is not available in a comparable format.

Health Expenditure (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average health expenditure per head of population in Chorley constituency was in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) 2005.

Melanie Johnson: The expenditure per weighted head of population in the South Lancashire health authority (HA) area is shown in the table. It is not possible to provide information on the Chorley constituency area, nor figures for 2005.
	
		South Lancashire HA 
		
			 Period £ per head 
		
		
			 1996–97 609.98 
			 2000–01 779.41 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Expenditure is taken from audited health authority accounts and summarisation forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total expenditure accounted for by the health authority. Figures are given in cash terms.
	2.Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health.
	3.In many HAs, there are factors which distort the expenditure. These include:
	the HA acting in a lead capacity to commission healthcare or fund training on behalf of other health bodies; and
	asset revaluations in national health service trusts being funded through HAs.
	4.The majority of general dental services expenditure is not included in the individual health authority accounts or summarisation forms and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board (DPB). An element of pharmaceutical services expenditure is accounted for by the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) and not by HAs. Total expenditure on these items by the DPB and the PPA cannot be allocated to individual health bodies and are therefore omitted from the answer.
	5.For these reasons expenditure per head cannot be compared reliably between HAs or between different years.
	Sources:
	South Lancashire HA audited accounts 1996–97.
	South Lancashire HA audited summarisation forms 2000–01.
	Weighted population figures 1996–97 and 2000–01.

Health Funding (Huddersfield)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Health how much was allocated to healthcare in the Huddersfield constituency in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004.

Melanie Johnson: In 1997–98, revenue allocations were made to health authorities (HAs). In December 2002, primary care trusts (PCTs) were notified of their revenue allocations for 2003–04 to 2005–06, and the latest round of revenue allocations, covering the period 2006–07 and 2007–08, was announced on 9 February 2005.
	The tables show the revenue allocations made to Calderdale and Kirklees HA for 1997–98, and to those PCTs covered by Calderdale and Kirklees for 2003–04 to 2005–06 and for 2006–07 to 2007–08.
	
		Table 1: Calderdale and Kirklees revenue allocations 1997–98
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 Calderdale and Kirklees HA 259,169 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Calderdale and Kirklees revenue allocations 2003–06 -- £000
		
			  Allocation 
			 PCT 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Calderdale 182,246 198,557 215,534 
			 Huddersfield Central 121,658 132,742 144,457 
			 North Kirklees 149,007 163,617 178,807 
			 South Huddersfield 67,967 74,050 80,382 
		
	
	
		Table 3: Calderdale and Kirklees revenue allocations 2006–08 -- £000
		
			  Allocation 
			 PCT 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Calderdale 254,621 275,396 
			 Huddersfield Central 172,344 186,412 
			 North Kirklees 215,698 236,133 
			 South Huddersfield 97,051 104,967

Health Funding (North Yorkshire)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on health service budgets in North Yorkshire.

Melanie Johnson: Revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs), to cover the period 2006–07 and 2007–08, were announced on 9 February 2005.
	The table shows the allocations made to PCTs in North Yorkshire for the 2006–07 and 2007–08 revenue allocations:
	
		Revenue allocations in North Yorkshire 2006–08 -- £000
		
			  Allocation 
			 PCT 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Craven, Harrogate and Rural District 235,518 254,740 
			 Hambleton and Richmondshire 129,360 139,918 
			 Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale 198,010 216,805 
			 Selby and York 307,131 335,917

Illegal Organ Trafficking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce illegal organ trafficking; and what discussions he has had with international bodies on such trafficking.

Rosie Winterton: The Human Tissue Act 2004 states that the trafficking of human organs is an offence and subject to legal penalties.
	The Department continues to participate in formal discussions with the Council of Europe and the European Union about the prevention and control of organ trafficking.

Medical Devices Agency

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) fatal accidents and (b) adverse incident reports to the Medical Devices Agency there were in each year since 1997; and what the most common causes were.

Rosie Winterton: The information on total numbers of reported medical device related adverse incidents and reported incidents involving a fatality is shown in Table 1.
	
		Table 1: Reported medical device related adverse incidents, 1997–2004
		
			  Total number of reported incidents Reported incidents involving a fatality 
		
		
			 1997 5,383 47 
			 1998 6,298 79 
			 1999 6,610 87 
			 2000 7,249 92 
			 2001 7,896 141 
			 2002 8,756 175 
			 2003 8,795 166 
			 2004 8,840 179 
		
	
	For summary information and reporting purposes, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency groups the causes of medical device related adverse incidents into four categories:
	Before delivery—issues relating to design, manufacture, quality control and/or packaging.
	After delivery—relating to performance and/or maintenance failures and device degradation.
	User error—where the device had not been used in accordance with the instructions for use.
	No established link to device—where (a) the device was found subsequently to work as intended (possibly due to an intermittent fault, tampering, or user error) or (b) it was not available for inspection, or (c) because the report was made on precautionary basis.
	The percentage of incidents falling into each of these categories in 2004 is shown in Table 2.
	
		Table 2: Reported medical device related adverse incidents, 2004
		
			 Cause of incident Percentage(6) of all incident reports (number=8,840) Percentage(6) of reported incidents involving a fatality (number=179) 
		
		
			 1. Before delivery 27 11 
			 2. After delivery 29 14 
			 3. User error 17 22 
			 4. No established link to  device 55 75 
		
	
	(6)Figures total more than 100 per cent. as multiple causes have been identified in some reports.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been sectioned under the Mental Health Acts in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) men, (b) women and (c) children.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 7 February 2005
	Information is not available in the requested format. Information on the number of detentions under Parts II, III and X the Mental Health Act 1983 of patients, on admission and subsequent to admission in national health service facilities, including high security psychiatric hospitals, and independent hospitals in England in each of the last ten and eight years (respectively) for which data are available is shown in the tables. Information on the gender of patients detained subsequent to admission to hospital is not collected. Nor is any information distinguishing adults from children.
	Information on the gender of patients detained subsequent to admission and their age groups will be available via the mental health dataset in the future. This will provide local clinicians and mangers with better quality information for clinical audit, and service planning and management.
	
		Number of detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 of patients, on admission and subsequent to admission in national health service facilities (including high security psychiatric hospitals), in England, 1993–94 to 2003–04. -- Number
		
			  Total detentions (on admission and subsequent to admission) in NHSDetentions on admission in NHS facilities Detentions subsequent to admission in NHS 
			  facilities Male Female facilities 
		
		
			 2003–04 43,847 13,371 11,419 19,057 
			 2002–03 44,649 13,449 11,617 19,583 
			 2001–02 45,563 12,980 11,510 21,073 
			 2000–01 45,654 13,521 11,662 20,471 
			 1999–2000 45,546 13,536 11,739 20,271 
			 1998–99 46,003 13,679 11,956 20,368 
			 1997–98 43,291 13,096 11,325 18,870 
			 1996–97 40,516 12,358 10,438 17,720 
			 1995–96 41,628 13,099 11,307 17,222 
			 1994–95 40,275 13,054 11,524 15,697 
			 1993–94 37,141 12,179 10,829 14,133 
		
	
	Figures exclude previous legislation (fifth schedule) and other acts.
	A patient may be detained more than once.
	Data on patients detained subsequent to admission were not collected in respect of high security psychiatric hospitals prior to 1996–97.
	Data on patients detained subsequent to admission are not collected by gender.
	Detentions subsequent to admission include changes from Section 136 to Sections 2 and 3.
	
		Number of detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 of patients, on admission and subsequent to admission in independent hospitals, in England, 1996–97 to 2003–04. -- Number
		
			  Total detentions (on admission and subsequent to admission) in independentDetentions on admission in independent hospitals Detentions subsequent to admission in independent 
			  hospitals Male Female hospitals 
		
		
			 2003–04 1824 862 536 426 
			 2002–03 1803 844 456 503 
			 2001–02 2180 984 672 524 
			 2000–01 1803 831 562 410 
			 1999–2000 1961 829 577 555 
			 1998–99 1840 761 489 590 
			 1997–98 1445 545 414 486 
			 1996–97 1295 464 431 400 
		
	
	Figures exclude previous legislation (fifth schedule) and other acts.
	A patient may be detained more than once.
	Data on patients detained subsequent to admission were not collected in respect of Independent hospitals prior to 1996–97.
	Data on patients detained subsequent to admission are not collected by gender.
	Detentions subsequent to admission include changes from Section 136 to Sections 2 and 3.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of applications under section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983 were (a) solely for the protection of other people, (b) solely in the interests of the health and safety of the patient and (c) for a combination of the two, in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not centrally available.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high security beds there have been in the NHS in England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format. Information on the total number of mental illness beds in wards open overnight and in secure units in national health service hospitals in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.
	
		Average daily number of available beds, wards open overnight, mental illness sector and secure units, England
		
			  Available beds: wards open overnight: mental illness sector Available beds: mental illness sector: other ages: secure unit 
		
		
			 1996–97 37,640 1,575 
			 1997–98 36,601 1,921 
			 1998–99 35,692 1,747 
			 1999–2000 34,173 1,882 
			 2000–01 34,214 1,952 
			 2001–02 32,783 1,848 
			 2002–03 32,753 2,064 
			 2003–04 32,410 2,557 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Form KH03.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to support primary care trusts in developing their commissioning capacity in mental health.

Rosie Winterton: National Standards, Local Action: Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework 2005/06–2007/08" (2004) sets out the framework for all national health service organisations and social service authorities to use over the next three financial years to take forward the NHS improvement plan.
	The national specialised services mental health definition subset provides guidance to commissioners on securing effective collective planning arrangements that take into account the needs of a planning population considerably larger than that of a single primary care trust (PCT). A group led by the national director for mental health is currently reviewing the subset with a view to publish updated guidance later this year.
	Local health communities should design the provision of their services for the treatment and management of mental health problems according to the standards set in the national service frameworks for mental health (1999), older people (2001) and children, young people and maternity services (2004) and in light of the clinical guidelines and technology appraisals published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
	Further support for PCTs to commission mental health services is provided through the primary care mental health programme led by the London development centre of the National Institute for Mental Health in England. Relevant publications can be obtained from its website at www.nimhe.org.uk.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to assist those caring for sufferers of mental illness.

Rosie Winterton: The national service framework (NSF) for mental health provides a rationale and evidence base for a national standard for mental health services relating to carers of people with mental health problems. In accordance with the NSF, all individuals who provide regular and substantial care for a person on the care programme approach should have an assessment of their caring, physical and mental health needs repeated on at least an annual basis. People who provide regular and substantial care for a person on the care programme approach are also entitled to have their own written care plan, which is given to them and implemented in discussion with them.
	The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 strengthens the rights of all carers to an assessment of their own needs as carers. It involves a right to a carer's assessment. It gives local councils mandatory duties to support carers by providing services to carers directly and in the provision of breaks, as well as, directly supporting carers by providing direct payment for carers' services.
	In line with the NHS Plan, mental health provider trusts are recruiting 700 carer support workers to increase the breaks available for carers and to strengthen carer support networks. To consolidate the progress that is being made and to build on good practice and research, the Department published guidance entitled Developing Services for Carers and Families of People with Mental Illness in 2002".

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of the total number of hospital inpatients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 have appealed to mental health review tribunals since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information on the number of detentions and applications to mental health review tribunals is shown in the tables.
	
		Number of detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983 of patients in national health service facilities (including high security psychiatric hospitals) and independent hospitals in England, 1997–98 to 2003–04
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2003–04 45,671 
			 2002–03 46,452 
			 2001–02 47,743 
			 2000–01 47,457 
			 1999–2000 47,507 
			 1998–99 47,843 
			 1997–98 44,736 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures exclude previous legislation (fifth schedule) and other acts.
	2.A patient may be detained more than once.
	3.The data include short-term detentions under section 5 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Patients detained under section 5 cannot make applications to mental health review tribunals.
	
		Number of applications to mental health review tribunals in England, 1997 to 2004 (calendar years)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2004 21,413 
			 2003 21,634 
			 2002 20,980 
			 2001 20,368 
			 2000 20,421 
			 1999 19,709 
			 1998 18,503 
			 1997 15,687

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England are estimated to be suffering from (a) mild to moderate and (b) severe mental illness.

Rosie Winterton: The Office for National Statistics published a report, Psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households, 2000" in Great Britain. It was found that 164 per 1,000 of the adult population suffered from neurotic disorder, which can be broadly regarded as mild to moderate mental illness. The prevalence rate for probable psychotic disorder was five per 1,000 and for personality disorder 44 per 1,000 of the adult population. These disorders can be regarded as severe mental illness.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the quality of information management in mental healthcare.

Rosie Winterton: A number of important initiatives are leading to major improvements in information management for mental healthcare.
	The care programme approach model is an integral part of the national service framework for mental health, which was published in 1999 and has since been implemented across the national health service in England. It requires all providers of adult specialist mental health care to keep an electronic record of key information on all patients cared for together with details of the care they receive. This information should be accessible at any time by care practitioners.
	The mental health minimum data set is a database containing a wide range of information on patients, details of the care they are receiving or have received and some of the outcomes of care. All providers of adult specialist mental health care are required to maintain this database and it provides a valuable resource for clinicians and service managers.
	Information on mental health care is also included as an integral part of the national programme for information technology, which is currently being implemented.

Missed Appointments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people failed to attend appointments in (a) Chorley Hospital and (b) Preston Hospital in 2003–04.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information in relation to the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust, which includes Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital and the Royal Preston Hospital, is shown in the table.
	
		Consultant out-patient attendances—Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (RXN), 2003–04 -- Number
		
			  First attendances Subsequent attendances Total attendances Did not attend rate (percentage): 
			 2003–04 Seen Did not attend Seen Did not attend Seen Did not attend First attendances Total attendances 
		
		
			 Quarter 
			 1 20,505 2,244 55,770 7,405 76,275 9,649 9.9 11.2 
			 2 21,216 2,563 55,980 8,152 77,196 10,715 10.8 12.2 
			 3 22,179 2,806 55,159 8,019 77,338 10,825 11.2 12.3 
			 4 23,302 2,586 58,199 8,027 81,501 10,613 10.0 11.5 
			 Total 87,202 10,199 225,108 31,603 312,310 41,802 10.5 11.8 
		
	
	Source:
	QMOP Department of Health quarterly return.

MRI Scans

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 7 February 2005, Official Report, columns 1336–7W, on MRI scans, what concerns were raised in the representations he has received; and what assessment he has made of the likelihood of Alliance Medical recruiting radiographers from other private providers who then recruit staff from the NHS.

John Hutton: The representations raised issues about the procurement process, the cost of the contract and issues relating to the level of service, which Alliance Medical Limited is contracted to provide. The recruitment of radiographers from private providers is a matter for Alliance Medical Limited.

Nevirapine

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of (a) recent research into the effects of the drug Nevirapine and (b) the consequences of that research for mother-to-baby transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Melanie Johnson: The nevirapine product marketed as Viramune by Boehringer Ingelheim has a European authorisation, the terms of which are under frequent revision as new research information comes to light and in response to post-marketing safety update reports from the company. New research data and reports are reviewed by the European Expert Committee on Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) to see if the warnings and recommended uses of the product need to be changed. The United Kingdom feeds into that process, taking advice from the committee on the safety of medicines as necessary.
	The British HIV Association (BHIVA) has reviewed its guidelines on the management of HIV infection in pregnant women and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, taking account of the recent research on nevirapine. BHIVA will be consulting on the revised guidelines shortly before they are published.

NHS Staff

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) graduate primary care workers, (b) gateway workers, (c) support time and recovery workers, (d) community development workers and (e) carer support workers are currently employed in the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: The requested information is not yet available. Progress on the number of graduate primary care workers, gateway workers, support, time and recovery workers, community development workers and carer support workers employed in the national health service will be available when the Durham adult mental health service mapping is finalised in spring 2005.

NHS Staff

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) hospital, (b) public health medicine and (c) community health service staff were employed in the main NHS staff groups in the Newcastle Primary Care Trust area in (i) 1996, (ii) 2001 and (iii)2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. Data for Northumberland Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority, broken down by organisation, are shown in the table.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Service (HCHS): medical and dental staff within Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority by organisation—as at 30 September each year -- Number (headcount)
		
			   All medical and dental staff 
			   1996 2001 2003 
		
		
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear  2,231 2,622 2,861 
			 of which: 
			 Cheviot and Wansbeck National Health Service Trust RLK 121 0 0 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside HA QDG 4 6 0 
			 Gateshead Health NHS Trust RR7 0 213 241 
			 Gateshead Healthcare NHS Trust RM7 31 0 0 
			 Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust RE2 152 0 0 
			 Gateshead Primary Care Trust (PCT) 5KF 0 0 13 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside HA QDJ 9 21 0 
			 Newcastle City Health NHS Trust RNM 228 0 0 
			 Newcastle PCT 5D7 0 28 31 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust RTD 0 1,136 1,190 
			 Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health Services NHS Trust RNP 0 150 189 
			 North Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust RLC 151 0 0 
			 North Tyneside PCT 5D8 0 0 13 
			 Northgate and Prudhoe NHS Trust RM6 20 17 23 
			 Northumberland Care Trust TAC 0 0 30 
			 Northumberland Community Health NHS Trust RLM 35 0 0 
			 Northumberland HA QDM 9 4 0 
			 Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust RE8 34 0 0 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear StHA Q09 0 0 20 
			 Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust RTF 0 380 408 
			 South of Tyne and Wearside Mental Health NHS Trust RW9 0 0 57 
			 South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust RE9 94 248 221 
			 South Tyneside PCT 5KG 0 0 10 
			 Sunderland City Hospitals NHS Trust RLN 340 366 406 
			 Sunderland HA QDN 7 10 0 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 5KL 0 0 9 
			 The Freeman Group of Hospitals RAB 360 0 0 
			 The Royal Victoria Infirmary and associated Hospitals NHS Trust RCK 609 0 0 
			 Wearside Priority Health Care NHS Trust RLH 27 43 0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Night Care

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Derbyshire, (b) Leicestershire and (c) the East Riding of Yorkshire receive full or part-time night care at home funded by the local authority.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Information on the number of people receiving full or part-time night care at home is not centrally available.
	The following table shows the number of contact hours of home care occurring out of hours or overnight in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and East Riding during a survey week in September 2003. Some of these hours will be delivered by council employees while others will be delivered by the private and voluntary sector.
	
		Number and rate of contact hours of home care provided out of hours or overnight in September 2003(7) -- Rounded numbers and rates
		
			 Councils with social services responsibilities Out of hours(8) Overnight,(9) live-in(10) and 24 hour services(11) Total 
		
		
			 Number of contact hours 
			 Derbyshire 6,500 11,100 17,600 
			 Leicestershire 6,400 400 6,800 
			 East Riding 500 500 1,000 
			 Contact hours per 10,000 households 
			 Derbyshire 211 358 569 
			 Leicestershire 263 16 279 
			 East Riding 35 38 73 
		
	
	(7)Survey week in September 2003.
	(8)Out of hours: services which are provided outside of the normal working day, but not including night sitting services, live-in or 24hours services.
	(9)Overnight services: night sitting services carried out on a regular or ad-hoc basis.
	(10)Live-in services: Where the carer lives, either permanently or temporarily, in the home of the client, working for the local authority directly or under contract. It excludes informal carer arrangements with relatives or friends.
	(11)24 hours services: round the clock care provided by several workers on a shift basis.
	Source:
	HH1, Table 1

Nurse Numbers

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in (a) Sunderland Royal Hospital, (b) Hartlepool University Hospital and (c) Durham University Hospital in each year since 2001.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in specified NHS trusts as at 30 September each year -- Headcount
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust 1,450 1,475 1,543 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 1,348 1,214 1,237 
			 County Durham and Darlington Acute  Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a 1,946 
			 North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,139 890 n/a 
			 South Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1,324 1,004 n/a 
		
	
	n/a=Not applicable.
	Note:
	North Durham Healthcare NHS Trust and South Durham Health Care NHS Trust merged to form County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust on 1 October 2002.
	Source:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.

Obesity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of women were classified as obese in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1990, broken down by socio-economic group.

Melanie Johnson: Information is not available in exactly the form requested. Figures available from the health survey for England are shown in the tables. The tables give, for England, the percentage of women who are obese (with a body mass index over 30) from 1991, when the health survey began, to 2003 by social class and for the period 1998 to 2003 by Government office region. Figures prior to 1998 are not available by Government office region. The samples sizes available in the health survey do not allow robust estimates to be calculated for each region broken down by social/economic status.
	
		Prevalence of obesity among women by survey year and social class
		
			  Aged 16 and over with a valid height and weight measurement 
			  Social class of head of household(12) 1991–2003 
			 Women I II IIIN IIIM IV V Total 
		
		
			 Percentage
			 1991–1992(13) 11 15 20 21 16 
			 1993 11 13 13 20 22 24 16 
			 1994 12 14 15 20 22 22 17 
			 1995 12 14 14 20 24 22 17 
			 1996 13 15 16 21 22 27 18 
			 1997 10 15 20 23 26 24 20 
			 1998 15 18 19 24 25 28 21 
			 1999 21 18 21 21 24 31 21 
			 2000 19 17 19 26 26 32 21 
			 2001 14 20 21 27 31 28 23 
			 2002 16 18 22 25 29 35 23 
			 2003 18 19 21 28 29 29 23 
			 Bases
			 1991–1992(13) 1,219 493 912 681 3,430 
			 1993 579 2,210 1,239 2,149 1,106 440 8,037 
			 1994 433 2,000 1,184 2,016 1,168 458 7,884 
			 1995 465 2,112 1,147 1,979 1,056 453 7,729 
			 1996 461 2,255 1,230 2,043 1,135 424 8,064 
			 1997(14) 261 1,160 671 1,100 655 230 4,254 
			 1998 471 2,231 1,193 1,983 1,201 429 7,730 
			 1999(14) 248 1,049 585 1,000 557 157 3,699 
			 2000(14) 198 1,193 654 806 496 189 3,703 
			 2001 412 2,278 1,304 1,710 1,078 386 7,414 
			 2002(14) 244 1,077 614 775 516 178 3,509 
			 2003 456 2,329 1,192 1,581 999 322 7,090 
		
	
	(12)I—Professional, II—Managerial technical, IIIN—Skilled non-manual, IIIM—Skilled manual, IV—Semi-skilled manual, V—Unskilled manual.
	(13)The sample sizes in 1991 and 1992 were smaller than in subsequent years and for reporting purposes the estimates from both years were combined. In addition, the figures for social classes I and II, and IV and V were combined.
	(14)In these years, the focus was on special groups such as children, ethnic minorities and older people. The sample for the special groups was boosted and the sample for the general population correspondingly halved to about 8,000 adults. The figures are based on the general population sample.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England
	
		Prevalence of obesity among women by Government office region: Aged 16 and over with both valid height and weight measurements, 1998 to 2003 -- BMI (kg/m(16))
		
			  Government office regions(15)  
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West England 
		
		
			 Women   
			 Percentage   
			 1998 22.9 21.3 21.7 22.1 25.8 21.6 19.5 19.3 19.4 21.2 
			 1999 17.3 21.3 20.0 27.7 22.0 20.1 20.3 17.8 23.1 21.1 
			 2000 22.0 22.7 19.7 24.8 26.3 19.3 21.8 19.4 17.4 21.4 
			 2001 24.9 21.0 25.4 24.9 27.6 23.8 19.9 21.8 24.1 23.5 
			 2002 19.8 24.6 24.0 27.6 25.4 22.1 25.5 19.3 16.6 22.8 
			 2003 24.6 24.7 24.1 24.3 28.3 24.7 20.9 19.5 21.8 23.4 
			 Bases   
			 1998 484 1,082 819 763 671 862 960 1,216 826 7,730 
			 1999 225 530 401 401 381 433 395 551 381 3,699 
			 2000 245 519 437 416 327 414 440 536 368 3,703 
			 2001 494 1,001 800 703 800 865 800 1,132 814 7,414 
			 2002 222 505 387 344 355 390 411 564 331 3,509 
			 2003 468 1,006 667 678 778 825 837 1,119 712 7,090 
		
	
	(15)Figures prior to 1998 not available by Government office region.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England.

Obesity

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) men and (b) women were classified as obese in each region in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: Figures available from the Health Survey for England are shown in the table. For those respondents with a valid height and weight measurement from which the body mass index (BMI) could be calculated, it gives the proportion of men and women classed as obese by Government Office Region for the period 1998–2003. Figures prior to 1998 are not available by Government Office Region. The prevalence of obesity at the national level is given for 1997.
	
		Proportion of adults classed as obese (BMI>30) by Government Office Region and sex aged-16 and over with both valid height and weight measurements, 1997–2003 -- Percentage
		
			  Government Office Region 
			  North east North west Yorkshire East Midlands West Midlands 
		
		
			 Men  
			 1997 — — — — — 
			 1998 14.9 16.2 19.0 23.0 16.0 
			 1999 24.9 22.3 17.2 19.3 17.5 
			 2000 25.5 19.4 21.3 20.7 22.0 
			 2001 24.7 20.5 21.6 23.4 23.3 
			 2002 28.8 22.1 26.3 26.1 24.7 
			 2003 23.9 24.5 26.3 24.0 23.2 
			   
			 Women  
			 1997 — — — — — 
			 1998 22.9 21.3 21.7 22.1 25.8 
			 1999 17.3 21.3 20.0 27.7 22.0 
			 2000 22.0 22.7 19.7 24.8 26.3 
			 2001 24.9 21.0 25.4 24.9 27.6 
			 2002 19.8 24.6 24.0 27.6 25.4 
			 2003 24.6 24.7 24.1 24.3 28.3 
			   
			 Bases men  
			 1997 — — — — — 
			 1998 410 936 705 639 592 
			 1999 173 506 331 348 303 
			 2000 192 489 376 348 304 
			 2001 437 840 662 611 700 
			 2002 170 462 331 291 263 
			 2003 368 849 560 574 629 
			   
			 Women  
			 1997 — — — — — 
			 1998 484 1082 819 763 671 
			 1999 225 530 401 401 381 
			 2000 245 519 437 416 327 
			 2001 494 1001 800 703 800 
			 2002 222 505 387 344 355 
			 2003 468 1006 667 678 778 
		
	
	
		Percentage
		
			  Government Office Region 
			  East of England London South East South West England 
		
		
			 Men  
			 1997 — — — — 17.0 
			 1998 16.3 15.3 18.4 15.6 17.3 
			 1999 18.5 17.6 15.4 18.0 18.7 
			 2000 21.1 19.1 21.2 21.0 21.0 
			 2001 20.2 18.8 20.2 18.9 21.0 
			 2002 19.5 16.0 21.5 18.3 22.1 
			 2003 24.5 18.4 20.5 23.1 22.9 
			   
			 Women  
			 1997 — — — — 19.7 
			 1998 21.6 19.5 19.3 19.4 21.2 
			 1999 20.1 20.3 17.8 23.1 21.1 
			 2000 19.3 21.8 19.4 17.4 21.4 
			 2001 23.8 19.9 21.8 24.1 23.5 
			 2002 22.1 25.5 19.3 16.6 22.8 
			 2003 24.7 20.9 19.5 21.8 23.4 
			   
			 Bases men  
			 1997 — — — — 3685 
			 1998 743 797 991 743 6600 
			 1999 400 323 492 327 3204 
			 2000 383 367 452 348 3260 
			 2001 764 665 889 694 6267 
			 2002 343 337 466 306 2969 
			 2003 728 727 930 601 5966 
			   
			 Women  
			 1997 — — — — 4254 
			 1998 862 960 1216 826 7730 
			 1999 433 395 551 381 3699 
			 2000 414 440 536 368 3703 
			 2001 865 800 1132 814 7414 
			 2002 390 411 564 331 3509 
			 2003 825 837 1119 712 7090 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures prior to 1998 not available by Government Office Region.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England.

Primary Care Trusts

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the spearhead primary care trusts and the constituencies that they cover in the south-west.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 21 February 2005
	There are no spearhead primary care trusts within the south-west. The spearhead group list consists of the local authority areas that were in the bottom fifth nationally for three or more of the following five factors:
	Male life expectancy at birth,
	Female life expectancy at birth,
	Cancer mortality rate in under 75s,
	Cardio vascular disease mortality rate in under 75s,
	The index of multiple deprivation 2004 (local authority summary), average score.
	Note
	Data for the first four factors are for the period 1995–97.

Regulation

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing new statutory and regulatory duties that were the responsibility of his Department which have come into force since May 2001.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 22 February 2005
	The Department provides the financial resources needed by local authorities to deliver their adults' personal social services commitments and most appropriately meet the needs of the local community. Responsibility for children's personal social services transferred to Department for Education and Skills from 1 April 2004.
	Whilst the Department is responsible for establishing overall social care policy, it is for local authorities themselves to manage the implementation of new statutory or regulatory changes, including the attribution of appropriate resources, in accordance with locally determined priorities.
	The Department publishes regulatory impact assessments in relation to new statutory and regulatory duties. These show that the cost to local authorities of implementing such new duties since May 2001 can be estimated at around £43 million, with a further £159 million shared between local authorities and other organisations.

Residential Care

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the people in residential care in 2002–03 were disabled.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 21 February 2005
	This information is not collected routinely. However, from the 2001 census there were around 304,000 people living in residential care, who reported having a limiting long-term illness. This represents some 94 per cent. of all those living in residential care at the time of the census.

Wells Report

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Wells Report.

Rosie Winterton: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health does not currently intend to publish the Wells Report.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol-related Disorder

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy for tackling the problemsof alcohol-related disorder in towns and city centres.

Hazel Blears: The Government are taking forward work to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder through the Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme. Recent achievements include: the Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns which took place over the summer and winter last year, the introduction of new fixed penalty notices for minor alcohol offences from November last year and the launch of the first tranche of the Tackling violent Crime Programme—providing extra help to those areas which have the highest volumes of violent crime. We are also working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to develop guidance for local authorities to help them manage the night-time economy.
	To build on this work, the Government published a consultation document called Drinking Responsibly" on 21 January 2005 outlining new policy proposals for tackling the problems of alcohol-related disorder. The proposals included: Alcohol Disorder Zones for town and city centres, Drinking Banning Orders, a review ofthe penalties associated with alcohol-related crimes and new police closure powers for premises selling to under-age children. Replies to the proposals in the consultation paper are due by the 28 February 2005. We will consider all of the responses before making any final decisions on the proposals.

Al-Takfir wa al-Hijra

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for theHome Department what assessment his Department has made of the activities in the UK of Al-Takfir wa al-Hijra since January 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: Any information suggesting illegal activity by any individual or group will be investigated by the appropriate authorities. Should anyone have evidence of criminal acts being carried out they should take it to the police in the first instance.

Anti-terrorism Measures

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-bomb litter bins have been installed in major metropolitan areas.

Charles Clarke: Individual local authorities, transport operators and site owners providing litter bins in public places will determine numbers, distribution and type to be provided. We do not hold information about the number of blast resistant litter bins installed.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Visa Correspondence Section of UK Visas to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West, regarding a case involving Qamar Zamanai Mansoori and Fareda Ui-Haz Sadique (Now Fareda Bano).

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	UKVisas replied to the hon. Member on 16 December 2004. UKVisas also corresponded by e-mail with the hon. Member's office on 18 January, 1 February and 8 February.

Crime Statistics

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment what his estimate is of the number of recorded crimes in (a) the North West and (b) Lancashire in 2004; and what percentage were cleared up.

Hazel Blears: The latest available information on recorded crime and detections for the North West and Lancashire is for 2003–04 and is published in Table 7.04 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/04; a copy of which is available in the Library.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Criminal Cases Review Commission expects to start and to complete the Stage 2 Review of (a) the case of Derek Jack Tully and (b) a case received on 10 February which had the same priority.

Paul Goggins: It is not the practice to give specific information about a particular case. Cases in the Stage 2, at-liberty queue currently being allocated to a Case Review Manager are, on average, 30 months old. Cases in the Stage 2, in-custody queue currently being allocated to a Case Review Manager are, on average, 19 months old. The Commission would expect applications received in February 2005 to wait a comparable time, but this is subject to other factors such as the need to prioritise certain cases and the time taken to complete case reviews in progress. The majority of cases (some 77 per cent.) are, however, allocated for review with minimal delay, because they are assessed as requiring less than five caseworker-days' work.
	It is not possible to estimate how long the review of a case will take until it has been allocated to a Case Review Manager.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of resources the Criminal Cases Review Commission would need to eliminate queues of cases by March 2006; and what targets for reduction in queues Ministers have set.

Paul Goggins: There has been no assessment made by the Home Office of the level of resources required by the Criminal Cases Review Commission to eliminate queues of cases by March 2006. Ministers have not currently set targets for reduction in queues.

Criminal Offences

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department in the (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 session, broken down by Act.

Paul Goggins: The table lists the criminal offences in this Department's legislation passed in the sessions 2002–03 and 2003–04. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 contains 55 offences; most of them are codifications of the pre-existing law.
	
		Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
		
			  
		
		
			 Section 34(1) Failure by a financial institution to comply with a requirement imposed under a customer information order. 
			 Section 34(3) False statement made by a financial institution in purported compliance with a customer information order. 
			 Section 39 The same offences in Scotland. 
			 Section 42 Disclosure by an institution or its employee of specified facts about a financial investigation. 
			   
			 Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 
			 Section 4(1) Remaining on or entering premises in contravention of a closure notice. 
			 Section 61 Failure to comply with a direction to leave land etc. 
			   
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003  
			 Section 1 Rape. 
			 Section 2 Assault by penetration. 
			 Section 3 Sexual assault. 
			 Section 4 Causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. 
			 Section 5 Rape of a child under 13. 
			 Section 6 Assault on a child under 13 by penetration. 
			 Section 7 Sexual assault of a child under 13. 
			 Section 8 Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. 
			 Section 9 Sexual activity with a child. 
			 Section 10 Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. 
			 Section 11 Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. 
			 Section 12 Causing a child to watch a sexual act. 
			 Section 13 Child sex offences committed by young persons. 
			 Section 14 Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence. 
			 Section 15 Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc. 
			 Section 16 Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity with a child. 
			 Section 17 Abuse of position of trust: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. 
			 Section 18 Abuse of position of trust: sexual activity in the presence of a child. 
			 Section 19 Abuse of position of trust: causing a child to watch a sexual act. 
			 Section 20 Abuse of position of trust: acts done in Scotland. 
			 Section 25 Sexual activity with a child family member. 
			 Section 26 Inciting a child family member to engage in sexual activity. 
			 Section 30 Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice. 
			 Section 33 Causing a person with a mental disorder impeding choice to watch a sexual act. 
			 Section 34 Inducement, threat or deception to procure sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder. 
			 Section 35 Causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in or agree to engage in sexual activity by inducement, threat or deception. 
			 Section 36 Engaging in sexual activity in the presence, procured by inducement, threat or deception, of a person with a mental disorder. 
			 Section 37 Causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act by inducement, threat or deception. 
			 Section 38 Care workers: sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder. 
			 Section 39 Care workers: causing or inciting sexual activity. 
			 Section 40 Care workers: sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder. 
			 Section 41 Care workers: causing a person with a mental disorder to watch a sexual act. 
			 Section47 Paying for sexual services of a child. 
			 Section 48 Causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography. 
			 Section 49 Controlling a child prostitute of a child involved in pornography. 
			 Section 50 Arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography. 
			 Section 52 Causing or inciting prostitution for gain. 
			 Section 53 Controlling prostitution for gain. 
			 Section 57 Trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation. 
			 Section 58 Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation. 
			 Section 59 Trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation. 
			 Section 61 Administering a substance with intent that sexual activity takes place. 
			 Section 62 Committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. 
			 Section 63 Trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence. 
			 Section 64 Sex with an adult relative: penetration. 
			 Section 65 Sex with an adult relative: consenting to penetration. 
			 Section 66 Exposure. 
			 Section 67 Voyeurism. 
			 Section 69 Intercourse with an animal. 
			 Section 70 Sexual penetration of a corpse. 
			 Section 71 Sexual activity in a public lavatory. 
			 Section 91 Offences relating to notification by sex offenders. 
			 Section 113 Offence of breach of a sexual offences prevention order or an interim sexual offences prevention order. 
			 Section 122 Offence: breach of foreign travel order. 
			 Section 128 Offence: breach of a risk of sexual harm order or an interim risk of sexual harm order. 
			   
			 Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Act 2004 
			 Section 2 Entering the UK without a passport etc. 
			 Section 4 Trafficking people for exploitation.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the costs of departmental (a) staff training days and (b) staff development days held away from the Department were in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: Individual directorates within the Home Office have responsibility for allocating resources for external development opportunities; they identify the appropriate development for their staff according to business needs, and within their own budgets. The Home Office offers staff a comprehensive programme of development opportunities, and they are encouraged to use the most cost effective method to meet their needs.
	Information is not collected centrally on the cost of staff training and development days held away from the Department.
	Further information on departmental costs of staff training over the years since 1997 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Credit Cards

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many credit cards for official expenditure are held by his Department.

Fiona Mactaggart: In the core Home Office, its Executive Agencies and NDPBs, Government Procurement Cards (GPC) are used for official expenditure on low value reimbursable items up to the value of £500 (e.g. last minute travel, overnight accommodation (B&B), conference booking or a training course). At present the Department holds 1,889 GPC cards.
	Other than GPC cards, the Department does not hold any credit cards for official expenditure.

Departmental Polices

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Clwyd,South constituency, the effects on Clwyd, South of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Clwyd, South constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the North Wales Police Force increased by 256 from 1,369 to 1,625. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 21 CSOs on North Wales' streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, North Wales has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 5 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 4 per cent.
	North Wales police will receive £78.0 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 3.76 per cent. (£2.8 million) over 2004–05. North Wales benefits from the decision to provide a funding floor of 3.75 per cent. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, the Force would have received £1.9 million less. General grants funding to North Wales has increased by 28.3 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, North Wales will also receive around £9.5 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour. social behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. For example, nine CCTV projects in the Clwyd, South area (which includes the three Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) of Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire) received a total of £666,835 under the CRP.
	Since 2001, a number of successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and specific projects. These include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001 under these initiatives, a total of £1.97 million has been allocated to the Clwyd, South area. A further £1.42 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the National Assembly for Wales for CSP capacity building across Wales.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In the three Community Safety Partnerships that include Clwyd a total of 11 antisocial behaviour orders are currently in force as of 11 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	This year, 2005, is the Year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Polices

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency of his Department's policies since 8 June 2001.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 2001 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Cleveland Police Force increased by 290 from 1,407 to 1,697. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 75 CSOs on Cleveland streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 2001–02 and 2003–04, Cleveland has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 21 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 12 per cent.
	Cleveland Police Force will receive £90.9 million in general grants in 2005–06, an increase of 4.67 per cent. (£4.1 million) over this year. This is significantly higher than the minimum increase of 3.75 per cent. guaranteed to all forces. Cleveland Force also gains £0.2 million from the 2003–04 Amending Report, bringing their overall grant to £91.1 million. General grants funding to Cleveland Police Force has increased by over 14 per cent. between 2001–02 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Cleveland will receive next year around £4.7 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. For example, six CCTV projects in the Middlesbrough CDRP area received a total of £791,179 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £1,290,644 has been allocated to Middlesbrough CDRP under these initiatives. A further £1.45 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the North East for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Middlesbrough set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Middlesbrough a total of 32 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 1 February 2005. Middlesbrough is also one of 50 communities across the country that have been designated as 'Together Action Areas' and are set to get extra help to tackle antisocial behaviour. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and their policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the House Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focusing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Middlesbrough has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Middlesbrough Drug Action Team amounted to £2.07 million, rising to £2.78 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency can be obtained from the Middlesbrough Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	To support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued, the Home Office funded a Community Cohesion Pathfinder in Middlesbrough over 18 months to September 2004. This invested £150,000 via the local authority and £90,000 via voluntary and community sector partners. The Pathfinder focused on young people, education, and sports and cultural activities. Outcomes included a Listening Schools project bring together parents and school staff, inter-faith working, training of young people in community involvement and cultural activities celebrating diversity. A Pathfinder Youth Champions scheme in Middlesbrough also ending September 2004 produced a total of 45 young community champions engaged in the regeneration of their community through project-based activities.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	The Government's Time Ltd. Development Fund (2002 to 2005) has invested £125,538 in Middlesbrough aimed at increasing the number of people involved in community and voluntary activities.
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Polices

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to the constituency, the effect of his Department's actions and policies on Blackpool, South constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government has put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Blackpool South constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Lancashire Police Force increased by 332 from 3,247 to 3,579. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 117 CSOs on Lancashire streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, Lancashire has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 41 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 39 per cent.
	Lancashire Police Force will receive £190.8 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 4.31 per cent. (£7.9 million) over last year. Lancashire Police also gains around £0.4 million from the Amending Report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 4.52 per cent. General grants funding to Lancashire has increased by 14.5 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2000–01 and by 13.5 per cent. between 2001–01 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Lancashire will also receive £17.4 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The crime reduction programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. Two CCTV projects in the Blackpool CDRP area received a total of £666,350 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 crime and disorder reduction partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £1.05 million has been allocated to Blackpool CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.3 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the North West for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Blackpool set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle anti-social behaviour and nuisance. In Blackpool a total of 20 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 10 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government has invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Blackpool has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Blackpool Drug Action Team amounted to £1.05 million, rising to £1.53 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Blackpool South constituency can be obtained from the Blackpool Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams
	The Government is working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Departmental Polices

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the constituency, the effects of his Department's policy since 1997 on Dudley, North constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Dudley, North constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the West Midlands Police Force increased by 895 from 7,113 to 8,008. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 134 CSOs on West Midlands streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, West Midlands has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 35 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 28 per cent.
	West Midlands Police Force is receiving £426.5 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 6.81 per cent. (£27.2 million) over this year. West Midlands also gains around £0.8 million from the Amending Report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 7.0 per cent. General grants funding to West Midlands has increased by 34 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, West Midlands will also receive around £29 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. Four CCTV projects in the Dudley CDRP area as a whole received a total of £286,459 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £1.6 million has been allocated to the Dudley CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.03 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the West Midlands for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Dudley set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Dudley a total of 29 antisocial behaviour orders are currently in force as of 9 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10-year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focusing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Dudley has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Dudley Drug Action Team amounted to £1.9 million, rising to £2.4 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Dudley, North constituency can be obtained from the Dudley Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams_.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. For 2003–04 to 2005–06 Dudley Racial Equality Council is receiving a £291,431 Connecting Communities Grant from the Home Office to improve the access of black and ethnic minority people to jobs and services.
	Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org_.
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Polices

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency, the effects on Preseli Pembrokeshire of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Dyfed-Powys Police Force increased by 160 from 1,005 to 1,165. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 11 CSOs on Dyfed-Powys streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, Dyfed-Powys has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of three per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of two per cent.
	Dyfed-Powys Police Force is receiving £52.2 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 3.75 per cent. (£1.9 million) over 2004–05. Dyfed-Powys benefits from the decision to provide a funding floor of 3.75 per cent. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, the Force would have received £1.3 million less. General grants funding to Dyfed-Powys has increased by 24 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Dyfed-Powys will also receive around £6 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. Two CCTV projects in the Pembrokeshire CDRP area received a total of £234,900 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime Safety Partnerships (CSPs, formerly CDRPs) in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £496,631 has been allocated to Pembrokeshire CSP under these initiatives. A further £1.42 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the National Assembly for CSP capacity building across Wales.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Pembrokeshire set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Pembrokeshire a total of 11 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org.
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Polices

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Reading, West constituency, the effects on Reading, West of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Reading, West constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Thames Valley police force increased by 408 from 3695 to 4103. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 18 CSOs on Thames Valley streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, Thames Valley police force area has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 11 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 29 per cent.
	Thames Valley police will receive £220.6 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 3.75 per cent. (£7.9million) over last year. Thames Valley benefits from the decision to provide a funding floor of 3.75 per cent. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, the force would have received £4.1 million less. General grants funding to Thames Valley has increased by 28.9 per cent. between 1997–08 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Thames Valley will also receive around £23.8million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The crime reduction programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. One CCTV project in the Reading CDRP area received a total of £749,500 from the CRP and one CCTV project in the west Berkshire CDRP area (which includes part of the Reading west constituency) received a total of £16,500 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 crime and disorder reduction partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include communities against drugs, the safer communities initiative, the small retailers in deprived areas scheme and the building safer communities fund. Since 2001, a total of £1.56 million has been allocated to Reading CDRP and £587,626 to west Berkshire CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.57 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the south east for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a prolific and other priority offenders (PPO) scheme in Reading and in west Berkshire set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's crime reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Reading a total of 12 antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been issued and in west Berkshire a total of four ASBOs have been issued as of 17 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling drug misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10 year national drug strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the updated drug strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Reading and west Berkshire has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the drugs intervention programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for reading drug action team amounted to £1.71 million, rising to £2.01 million in 2004–05. For west Berkshire drug action team, the 2003–04 allocation amounted to £597,102, rising to £729,165 in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Reading, West constituency can be obtained from the Reading drug action team and west Berkshire drug action team for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by £1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	Investment is also being made in voluntary and community sector infrastructure under the ChangeUp Scheme, so that frontline groups and organisations can access the support and expertise they need to improve and expand. £100,000 has been made available to the Reading area and £100,000 has been made available to the west Berkshire area in 2005 to take forward this work.
	Reading borough council also participates in the south east community cohesion learning network which is managed by the Government Office for the south east. The network is made up of representatives from 16 south east community cohesion priority areas including local authority officers, the police, and other regional organisations with an interest in community cohesion. The network facilitates the sharing of information, learning and good practice on community cohesion issues in the region.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–2008, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Polices

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effects of his Department's policies to combat antisocial behaviour in Rochdale.

Hazel Blears: The Government's TOGETHER campaign helps local people and agencies to tackle and not tolerate antisocial behaviour. TOGETHER applies across all England and Wales including the hon. Member's constituency.
	Rochdale has a comprehensive antisocial behaviour strategy, and this is prioritised in Rochdale's Police Reassurance project and plans. This sets out how different delivery agencies are working together to synchronise the effort and impact on antisocial behaviour.
	Rochdale has also introduced an alcohol ban scheme, which is a joint project between the Community Safety Team, Trading Standards, pubs, clubs and the police. Any person involved in alcohol related incidents outside or near to a public house or nightclub will be banned for 6 or 12-months from all the pubs and clubs involved in the scheme.
	Between April 2004 and December 2004, Rochdale has seen a 4.9 per cent. reduction in neighbourhood problems such as youth nuisance, criminal damage, public disorder and domestic disputes.
	52 ASBOs have been issued since 1999 and over 30 acceptable behaviour contracts issued and signed by individuals.

Departmental Polices

Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible toWokingham constituency, the effects on Wokingham of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government has put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Wokingham constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Thames Valley Police Force increased by 408 from 3,695 to 4,103. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 18 CSOs on Thames Valley streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, the Thames Valley Police Force area has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 11 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 29 per cent.
	Thames Valley Police will receive £220.6 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 3.75 per cent. (£7.9million) over 2004–05. Thames Valley benefits from the decision to provide a funding floor of 3.75 per cent. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, the force would have received £4.1 million less. General grants funding to Thames Valley has increased by 28.9 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Thames Valley will also receive around £23.8 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The crime reduction programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. One CCTV project in West Berkshire CDRP (which includes part of Wokingham constituency) received a total of £16,500 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 crime and disorder reduction partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £774,136 has been allocated to Wokingham CDRP and £587,626 to West Berkshire CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.57 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the south-east for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Wokingham and West Berkshire set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. Two antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Wokingham and four in West Berkshire as of 17 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government has invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Wokingham and West Berkshire have seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Wokingham Drug Action Team amounted to £568,685, rising to £693,422 in 2004–05. For West Berkshire Drug Action Team, the 2003–04 allocation amounted to £597,102, rising to £729,165 in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Wokingham constituency can be obtained from the Wokingham Drug Action Team and West Berkshire Drug Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams
	The Government is working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk
	Investment is also being made in voluntary and community sector infrastructure under the ChangeUp Scheme, so that frontline groups and organisations can access the support and expertise they need to improve and expand. £100,000 has been made available to the Wokingham area in 2005 to take forward this area of work. Further information on the aims of ChangeUp can be found on the Home Office Website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/active/developing/index.html
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at http://www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Forensic Medical Examiners

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of forensic medical examiners are women (a) in England and Wales, (b) in the Cleveland Police area and (c) in the north-east of England.

Paul Goggins: This information is not held centrally.

Imitation Firearms

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for possession of an imitation firearm in a public place under section 37 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

Hazel Blears: Offences under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, Section 37 came into force on 20 January 2004. Statistics of court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn of 2005.

Immigration Status (Notification)

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Mrs. Moreton of Carr Bank, Milnthorpe, Cumbria to receive written notification of her immigration status and the return of her passport and other personal documentation as undertaken in letters from the Immigration Minister to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale dated 17 November 2004 and 4 February 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Written confirmation of Mrs. Shoreton's immigration status was sent to her on 8 February. Her passport and personal documentation were enclosed.

Intercept Evidence

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his decision not to bring forward proposals to allow the use in court of intercept evidence.

Charles Clarke: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement I laid before the House on 26 January 2005, Official Report, column 19WS.

Intercept Evidence

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an assessment has been made of the (a) nature and (b) extent of intercept evidence in the cases of the Belmarsh detainees.

Charles Clarke: As stated in my written statement on 26 January 2005, Official Report, column 19WS, the Home Office-led review concluded that intercept would not have made a critical difference in bringing prosecutions against the Belmarsh detainees. It would not be appropriate to disclose details of any intercept relating to the Belmarsh detainees.

Intercept Evidence

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the use made of intercept evidence in court in other countries.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office-led review looked at the experience of a range of other countries, all of which regard intercept product as a valuable contribution to evidence used in their courts. However, the review found that there was no evidence that other countries do better than the UK in securing the convictions of terrorists or serious criminals through the use of intercept as evidence.
	The review found that the United Kingdom could not simply transplant the evidential regimes of other countries because our legal system is very different, being both adversarial and subject to ECHR considerations. No other country examined had a statutory basis for intelligence agencies to assist law enforcement agencies as is the case in the United Kingdom. The review underlined the importance and value of the unparalleled co-operation between the United Kingdom's intelligence and law enforcement agencies but noted that this would be at risk, in a way that did not apply to the same extent to other jurisdictions, if there was a possibility that sensitive capabilities and techniques might be exposed.

Intercept Evidence

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether special court procedures could be introduced to enable intercept evidence to be used in court.

Charles Clarke: I am not at present persuaded that special court procedures would significantly alter the balance of risks and benefits of using intercept evidence in court.

Kimberley Quinn

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he requested that a policeman be stationed outside Kimberley Quinn's home.

Charles Clarke: I have not issued any instructions surrounding this matter. My right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Brightside (Mr. Blunkett), the former Home Secretary has stated that he too did not issue operational instructions to the Met Police and has never had a conversation about this with them.

Kimberley Quinn

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of the occasions on which Mrs. Quinn visited his Department.

Charles Clarke: There are no records of any occasions when Mrs. Quinn visited the Department.

Kimberley Quinn

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions Mrs. Quinn travelled in the Home Secretary's car without him; if he will list the (a) origin, (b) distance and (c) destination of those trips; on how many of these occasions documents were also taken in the car; and whether those documents were of time-sensitive importance.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office holds no record of Mrs. Quinn travelling in the former Home Secretary's car.

Licensing Act

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted under (i) section 172, (ii) section 172A and (iii) section 173 of the Licensing Act 1964 in each year since 1997; how many landlords have had their licences revoked due to breach of these provisions; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Statistics from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on the number of people prosecuted and convicted under sections 172, 172A and 173 of the Licensing Act 1964, England and Wales, 1997–2003 is contained in the following table.
	Statistics for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
	No central data are available on the reasons why a justices' licence is revoked by the licensing justices. Statistics on revocations are also only collected triennially. The numbers of revocations since 1997 is therefore as follows.
	
		Number of persons proceeded against and found guilty at magistrates courts for certain offences under the Licensing Act 1964, England and Wales, 1997–2003(16)
		
			   1997 1998 
			 Offence description Statute Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person Licensing Act 1964 s.172 9 4 22 11 
			   
			 Relevant person working in licensed premises to permit drunkenness or violent behaviour etc. Licensing Act 1964 s.172A as added by Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s.32 — — — — 
			   
			 Person in licensed premises procuring intoxicating liquor for a drunken person or aiding a drunken person to obtain drink Licensing Act 1964 s.173 3 2 5 3 
		
	
	
		
			   1999 2000 
			 Offence description Statute Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person Licensing Act 1964 s.172 13 10 10 2 
			   
			 Relevant person working in licensed premises to permit drunkenness or violent behaviour etc. Licensing Act 1964 s.172A as added by Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s.32 — — — — 
			   
			 Person in licensed premises procuring intoxicating liquor for a drunken person or aiding a drunken person to obtain drink Licensing Act 1964 s.173 2 1 — — 
		
	
	
		
			   2001 2002 2003 
			 Offence description Statute Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person Licensing Act 1964 s.172 10 5 7 4 8 6 
			 
			 Relevant person working in licensed premises to permit drunkenness or violent behaviour etc. Licensing Act 1964 s.172A as added by Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s.32 — — 1 — — — 
			 
			 Person in licensed premises procuring intoxicating liquor for a drunken person or aiding a drunken person to obtain drink Licensing Act 1964 s.173 — — 1 — 1 — 
		
	
	(16)These data are on the principal offence basis.
	
		Number of justices' licences revoked in England and Wales, 1998, 2001 and 2004
		
			   Licensed 
			 Year to 30 June Public house etc. Restaurants Residential Combined restaurant and residential Licensed clubs Total on Total off Total on and off 
		
		
			 1998 165 34 6 2 8 215 102 378 
			 2001 99 21 8 1 3 132 51 183 
			 2004 186 50 18 8 11 273 81 354 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Culture, Media and Sport

Litherland House

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide an account of expenditure on Litherland house, Bootle, since the start of his Department's occupancy.

Fiona Mactaggart: Home Office Pay and Pensions Service took occupation of Litherland house in June 1998. The following table details the combined rent and service charges that have been paid by the Department in each financial year since occupation. The figures quoted do not include capital expenditure or other costs such as furniture and staffing.
	
		Litherland house—combined rent and building service costs
		
			 Financial year Cost (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 198,101.54 
			 1999–2000 360,263.55 
			 2000–01 338,974.83 
			 2001–02 497,031.46 
			 2002–03 419,447.27 
			 2003–04 553,630.50 
			 2004-January 2005 366,626.00 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The figures reflect the dates that rent and service charge invoices were actually levied and paid.
	2.There is an outstanding invoice for £35,000 (relating to the 2002–03 year) which is currently in dispute.
	3.On 1 April 2002, additional space was rented in Litherland house as well as training facilities within The Triad office complex in Stanley road. The Triad accommodation is charged to the Litherland house budget.
	4.HOPPS leased further accommodation in India buildings, in June 2004. This is charged to the Litherland house budget.

Ministerial Residence

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) is residing in the official residence of the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Charles Clarke: There are a number of former Ministers and Prime Ministers who continue to receive special security requirements after leaving office. We therefore take into account the assessment of the threat to them. On this basis, the Prime Minister has agreed that the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside can continue to have use of the official residence while his security arrangements are reviewed, and appropriate measures can be put in place.

Ministerial Residence

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of maintenance of his official residence was in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The costs of maintenance were as follows:
	
		
			  Maintenance (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,581 
			 1998–99 14,849 
			 1999–2000 2,055 
			 2000–01 6,457 
			 2001–02 1,386 
			 2002–03 (17)37,338 
			 2003–04 877 
			 2004–05 (18)3,130 
		
	
	(17)Includes roof works of £12,342
	(18)to date
	Note:
	All costs exclude VAT as this is recoverable

Miscarriages of Justice (Compensation)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure (a) his Department and (b) the Assessor follows in assessing the compensation for victims of miscarriages of justice who are entitled to compensation under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

Paul Goggins: Although the Home Secretary decides in principle whether compensation should be paid, the assessment of the amount of compensation is undertaken by an Assessor, appointed by the Home Secretary under section 133(4) of the 1988 Act, who is experienced in the assessment of damages. The current Assessor is Lord Brennan QC. Each case is considered on the basis of the circumstances relating to that individual claimant.
	The assessment is made on the basis of written submissions setting out the relevant facts. When the claimant or the claimant's representative is informed that a payment will be made, they are invited to submit to the Claims Assessment Team, in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, any information or representations which they would like the Assessor to take into account when considering the amount of compensation to be paid. The Claims Assessment Team prepares a draft memorandum based on this material.
	The draft memorandum will be sent to the claimant, or the claimant's representative, for their comments. Factual inaccuracies in the draft memorandum will be corrected and a copy of any comments made by the claimant will be sent to the Assessor with the memorandum. The Assessor may, through the Claims Assessment Team, seek further information or clarification arising from the material placed before him. For example, he may ask them to instruct independent accountants to advise him as to the reasonableness of certain pecuniary loss claims.
	In reaching his assessment, the Assessor will apply principles analogous to those governing the assessment of damages for civil wrongs. The assessment will take account of pecuniary and non-pecuniary loss arising from the wrongful charge or conviction and loss of liberty that results from it. The Assessor will take into account any reasonable expenses, legal or otherwise, incurred by the claimant in reversing the conviction or pursuing the claim for compensation.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how a contestability model for the Probation and Prison Services in England and Wales will avoid increasing bureaucracy.

Paul Goggins: The development of a contestability model, will be designed in order to drive up the quality of interventions and management of offenders.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Vision for the National Offender Management Service was endorsed at the NOMS Performance Board on 24 January.

Paul Goggins: The Vision for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) was endorsed at the NOMS Executive Board on 24 January 2005.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he expects the introduction of contestability in the National Offender Management Service to contribute to the Vision Statement aim of working together to reduce re-offending.

Paul Goggins: Contestability is the principle that best quality and best value for money is achieved through ensuring that services are opened up to competition. The procurement of high quality services to offenders will contribute to the reduction of re-offending.

National Offender Management Service

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the employers will be of offender managers under the proposed National Offender Management Service structure.

Paul Goggins: As I announced on 20 July 2004, offender managers will remain employed by Probation Boards. As the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) develops, however, this will involve changes to the role of Boards and to the management relations between Regional Offender Managers (ROMs) and offender managers. Detailed feasibility work and consultation will be undertaken before any final decisions are made with regard to organisational change.

Neighbourhood Watch Scheme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has evaluated on the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in reducing crime.

Hazel Blears: It is difficult to determine exactly the impact of Neighbourhood Watch activity in reducing crime in isolation from other crime reduction interventions. The 2000 British Crime Survey found that 75 per cent. of respondents thought that Neighbourhood Watch schemes were effective in preventing crimes such as burglary, the percentage being similar for members and non-members of Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
	Home Office Research Findings 150, published in 2001, gives further information.

Opinion Polling

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what areas his Department conducted opinion polling in each of the last three years.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 30 November 2004
	The Home Office undertakes a wide range of research activities that support the development of information led policy, including surveys of public perception and focus groups of the public that consider Home Office issues and its related areas of responsibility.
	The department conducts or commissions such work only when it is justified by the specific needs of a particular policy or programme and when this is the most economical, efficient and effective way to achieve the purpose. Consulting and involving the public helps inform both policy formulation and the delivery of better quality public services.
	Areas where opinion polls (as opposed to other forms of market and opinion research) have been conducted in the last three years are:
	Antisocial behaviour
	CCTV
	Community engagement
	Community penalties
	Forensic science services
	Identity/Entitlement cards
	Impact of graffiti
	Passports
	Race equality
	Sentencing
	Victims
	Voluntary organisations
	Youth justice

Parliamentary Questions

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Totnes on 27 January, about the Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in Westminster Hall, ref. 212226.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 21 February 2005
	I replied to the hon. Member on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1419W.

Police

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether ethnic background is a factor taken into account when allocating training places to candidates who have been selected for the Metropolitan police.

Hazel Blears: In allocating training places at Hendon, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) tries to ensure that as far as possible every course intake has a diverse range of recruits taking account of gender and ethnicity. This is in response to their commitment to build a work force which is more representative of the communities they serve.

Police

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of pension provision to the West Midlands police force was in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of the total budget of the force this represented in each year.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 24 January 2005
	The information is set out in the table.
	
		
			  Net pensions expenditure (£000) Proportion of net expenditure (percentage) 
		
		
			 1995–96 34,304 10.4 
			 1996–97 34,530 10.2 
			 1997–98 44,073 12.2 
			 1998–99 42,215 11.5 
			 1999–2000 43,192 11.3 
			 2000–01 47,209 12.0 
			 2001–02 52,585 12.8 
			 2002–03 54,220 13.0 
			 2003–04 55,239 12.5 
			 2004–05 58,094 12.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy Police Statistics—actuals 1995–96 to 2002–03 and estimates 2003–04 and 2004–05.

Police

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Departmentif he will place in the Library a table showing the percentage of officers of each rank above inspector in each constabulary who are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities.

Hazel Blears: A copy of a table showing the percentage of officers of each rank above inspector in each constabulary who are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities has been placed in the Library.

Police

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) uniformed officers and (b) civilian staff there were in each police authority area in the North East region at (i) 31 March 2003 and (ii) 31 March 2004; and what these figures are per head of police authority population.

Hazel Blears: The latest information on police service strength was published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 13/04, 'Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2004'.
	The available information for the North East Region is given in the table:
	
		Number
		
			  Police officers Police staff Community support officers Traffic wardens 
			  2003(19) 2004(19) 2003(19) 2004(19) 2003(19) 2004(19) 2003(19) 2004(19) 
		
		
			 Cleveland 1,592 1,697 694 764 37 77 7 8 
			 Durham 1,662 1,701 602 600 10 28 15 4 
			 Northumbria 4,018 4,061 1,457 1,495 0 51 59 56 
			 North East Region 7,272 7,459 2,754 2,859 47 155 81 68 
			  
			 Per 100,000 population 
			 Cleveland 294 314 128 141 7 14 1 1 
			 Durham 281 288 102 102 2 5 2 1 
			 Northumbria 290 294 105 108 0 4 4 4 
			 North East Region 289 297 109 114 2 6 3 3 
		
	
	(19)As at 31 March each year.

Police

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the amount of time senior police officers spent providing information for Government Regional Offices in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected, nor is it possible to make any reliable estimate.
	Home Office Regional Directors and their teams in the Government Offices for the Regions have an important part to play in helping to secure local delivery of the Government's objectives in respect of crime, substance misuse and community cohesion. This inevitably requires them to meet regularly with key partners in their areas including, of course, the police. I know that Government Offices do all they can to ensure that dialogue is productive, and bureaucracy kept to a minimum.

Police Finance

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage increase in precept was for each policy authority in England in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 January 2005
	The information is set out in the following table.
	
		Annual percentage increase
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 7.5 14.8 33.9 
			 Bedfordshire 4.9 12.0 18.7 
			 Cambridgeshire 8.9 39.0 19.8 
			 Cheshire 5.9 13.7 19.8 
			 Cleveland 6.0 38.3 25.1 
			 Cumbria 7.6 10.9 30.1 
			 Derbyshire 6.0 22.0 21.5 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5.0 19.4 39.9 
			 Dorset 9.3 12.2 19.2 
			 Durham 7.2 14.2 23.5 
			 Dyfed-Powys 6.4 7.9 26.5 
			 Essex 4.5 9.4 19.7 
			 Gloucestershire 5.2 14.6 51.7 
			 Greater Manchester 3.1 6.5 33.1 
			 Gwent 12.1 13.3 25.2 
			 Hampshire 7.2 27.3 29.5 
			 Hertfordshire 6.5 11.9 21.3 
			 Humberside 42.2 11.2 18.5 
			 Kent 8.1 22.2 28.9 
			 Lancashire 8.5 8.8 18.6 
			 Leicestershire 11.4 26.1 10.0 
			 Lincolnshire 4.5 5.0 10.1 
			 Merseyside 5.0 11.0 7.2 
			 Metropolitan 30.7 9.9 21.9 
			 Norfolk 16.0 20.0 21.5 
			 Northamptonshire 4.2 26.8 23.6 
			 Northumbria 6.9 4.5 9.7 
			 North Wales 5.4 16.7 31.5 
			 North Yorkshire 9.7 41.5 76.1 
			 Nottinghamshire 7.7 21.4 28.3 
			 South Wales 6.4 5.0 15.2 
			 South Yorkshire 6.0 18.0 27.3 
			 Staffordshire 13.1 7.0 25.3 
			 Suffolk 9.9 22.3 33.2 
			 Surrey 4.6 16.1 40.1 
			 Sussex 6.5 18.1 39.9 
			 Thames Valley 6.9 14.0 44.6 
			 Warwickshire 9.8 19.5 15.2 
			 West Mercia 6.0 33.1 14.6 
			 West Midlands 4.5 8.2 15.0 
			 West Yorkshire 3.6 24.8 17.0 
			 Wiltshire 9.8 9.9 19.8 
		
	
	Source:
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and National Assembly for Wales

Police Finance

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the financial settlement for the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority was in each year between 1995–06 and 2004–05.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 31 January 2005
	The information is set out in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			  General government grants(20) Specific grants and capital provision(21) Total 
		
		
			 1995–96 122.9 3.6 126.5 
			 1996–97 129.3 2.7 132.0 
			 1997–98 133.0 2.7 135.7 
			 1998–99 141.1 4.0 145.1 
			 1999–2000 146.7 2.5 149.2 
			 2000–01 150.2 5.8 156.0 
			 2001–02 156.9 15.4 172.3 
			 2001–02(22) 152.8 15.4 168.2 
			 2002–03 156.7 16.9 173.6 
			 2003–04 161.5 17.6 179.1 
			 2004–05 166.7 18.8 185.5 
		
	
	(20)General government grants comprise Home Office police grant, ODPM revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates.
	(21)Includes funding from the crime fighting fund, rural policing fund, basic command unit funding, community support officer funding, special priority payments, the DNA expansion programme, capital provision, Airwave and the premises improvement fund.
	(22)Figures for 2001–02 are not directly comparable with 2002–03 due to the change in funding arrangements of NCS/NCIS. Adjusted (lower) figures for 2001–02 are therefore included for future comparison.

Police Funding

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total revenue raised from police precepts was in each police authority in England and Wales for each year since 1996–97.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the following table.
	
		Revenue raised from police precept on council tax -- £ million
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 22.3 25.6 27.2 30.6 34.4 37.4 43.4 58.6 66.3 
			 Bedfordshire 8.3 9.5 10.2 11.3 12.5 13.3 15.0 18.0 20.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 10.2 11.7 11.2 12.3 14.9 16.5 23.1 28.0 32.6 
			 Cheshire 14.9 17.1 18.3 19.4 21.2 22.6 25.9 31.3 35.0 
			 Cleveland 7.2 8.6 7.6 9.9 10.4 11.2 15.5 19.5 22.4 
			 Cumbria 8.0 9.2 11.6 12.6 13.7 14.9 16.6 21.8 25.7 
			 Derbyshire 13.2 15.1 17.0 19.8 21.6 23.2 28.5 34.9 38.7 
			 Devon and Cornwall 23.9 26.3 25.8 28.9 32.2 34.2 41.2 58.2 65.8 
			 Dorset 14.9 16.6 18.6 20.7 22.7 24.9 28.1 33.8 37.9 
			 Durham 7.7 8.9 8.3 8.7 9.1 9.9 11.4 14.1 16.4 
			 Dyfed-Powys 7.9 8.2 10.2 12.6 14.9 16.1 17.5 22.4 26.1 
			 Essex 25.9 29.3 34.1 36.1 40.2 42.5 46.8 56.5 60.8 
			 Gloucestershire 8.7 10.0 11.4 13.8 15.8 16.8 19.4 29.6 33.0 
			 Greater Manchester 33.8 40.2 42.0 45.0 47.1 48.9 52.2 69.8 75.5 
			 Gwent 8.2 8.7 9.7 10.7 13.7 15.4 17.7 22.4 26.4 
			 Hampshire 27.9 31.8 31.1 33.6 34.7 37.5 48.2 62.8 70.9 
			 Hertfordshire 15.5 17.6 20.2 22.0 28.1 30.2 33.9 41.4 47.7 
			 Humberside 11.7 13.4 13.6 14.3 15.9 22.7 25.5 30.7 35.9 
			 Kent 25.2 28.7 27.2 29.8 31.9 34.8 42.8 55.9 63.0 
			 Lancashire 19.4 22.9 23.1 25.2 27.6 30.2 33.1 39.6 45.9 
			 Leicestershire 12.5 14.5 17.1 18.1 19.4 21.8 27.9 31.0 35.9 
			 Lincolnshire 12.9 13.4 15.5 16.3 17.5 18.7 19.9 22.3 24.3 
			 Merseyside 23.1 27.0 29.1 31.4 33.2 35.3 39.3 42.3 46.2 
			 Metropolitan 160.0 181.8 222.3 241.3 248.2 324.6 361.4 443.7 521.3 
			 Norfolk 11.4 13.0 14.0 17.0 19.3 22.6 27.4 33.7 39.0 
			 Northamptonshire 12.1 13.4 13.4 15.1 16.0 17.0 22.0 27.7 32.2 
			 Northumbria 18.4 21.3 19.4 20.3 21.2 22.9 24.1 26.6 28.1 
			 North Wales 10.7 11.2 13.6 15.7 18.8 20.0 23.6 31.3 38.0 
			 North Yorkshire 11.7 13.0 12.8 14.0 15.4 17.2 24.6 43.6 49.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 13.7 14.9 16.4 18.7 20.0 21.7 26.5 34.4 38.1 
			 South Wales 18.4 19.5 22.4 26.2 32.5 34.8 36.7 42.7 48.4 
			 South Yorkshire 16.2 18.9 19.3 20.2 21.2 22.6 26.9 34.4 38.0 
			 Staffordshire 15.5 17.7 23.6 25.8 27.5 31.5 34.0 43.1 47.5 
			 Suffolk 9.8 11.3 11.7 12.6 13.9 15.5 19.1 25.7 28.7 
			 Surrey 14.3 15.0 22.5 25.7 36.9 38.9 45.4 63.8 69.8 
			 Sussex 25.6 29.1 29.0 30.6 32.2 34.6 41.1 57.9 63.4 
			 Thames Valley 35.7 40.6 39.5 44.5 47.9 51.7 59.2 86.1 98.6 
			 Warwickshire 8.1 9.2 11.0 12.8 14.0 15.7 19.0 22.1 24.1 
			 West Mercia 17.2 19.7 21.0 23.4 29.8 32.0 43.0 49.7 57.9 
			 West Midlands 33.8 39.6 36.6 38.4 41.3 43.3 47.2 54.5 61.3 
			 West Yorkshire 26.9 31.8 31.8 33.5 36.2 37.9 47.8 56.1 64.7 
			 Wiltshire 10.3 11.8 13.6 15.1 16.8 18.7 20.7 25.2 27.9 
		
	
	Source:
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and National Assembly for Wales.

Police Funding

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of the police precept on band D council tax was in each policy authority in England and Wales for each year since 1996–97.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the following table.
	
		Police precept on council tax (band D) -- £
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 46.00 52.04 54.86 60.62 67.59 72.66 83.40 111.64 125.09 
			 Bedfordshire 46.00 52.51 55.84 61.36 66.98 70.26 78.69 93.44 107.17 
			 Cambridgeshire 45.00 51.03 48.24 52.11 62.46 68.04 94.59 113.31 129.33 
			 Cheshire 45.00 51.16 53.86 56.28 61.06 64.66 73.54 88.10 97.71 
			 Cleveland 46.00 54.87 48.43 62.55 65.58 69.51 96.13 120.22 136.84 
			 Cumbria 51.00 58.20 72.35 78.27 84.23 90.60 100.48 130.71 150.28 
			 Derbyshire 45.00 51.31 57.30 65.85 71.12 75.38 91.96 111.77 122.88 
			 Devon and Cornwall 46.00 49.79 48.30 53.52 58.87 61.81 73.80 103.27 113.39 
			 Dorset 57.00 63.59 70.61 77.13 84.42 92.25 103.50 123.39 135.36 
			 Durham 45.00 52.20 48.60 50.40 52.65 56.43 64.44 79.56 91.53 
			 Dyfed-Powys 46.57 48.42 59.58 72.99 85.41 90.90 98.10 124.11 142.65 
			 Essex 48.00 54.09 62.28 65.07 67.95 71.01 77.67 92.97 99.27 
			 Gloucestershire 45.00 51.17 57.74 68.90 77.98 82.05 94.01 142.59 156.71 
			 Greater Manchester 46.00 54.10 56.28 60.22 62.72 64.66 68.86 91.65 98.52 
			 Gwent 46.78 49.10 54.36 59.74 74.97 84.03 95.17 119.11 139.13 
			 Hampshire 46.00 51.75 50.13 53.91 55.08 59.04 75.15 97.29 108.36 
			 Hertfordshire 46.00 51.51 58.83 63.54 67.99 72.39 81.01 98.28 112.53 
			 Humberside 46.00 52.47 52.47 54.81 60.30 85.77 95.40 113.04 129.96 
			 Kent 46.00 51.59 48.41 52.48 55.73 60.26 73.64 94.95 105.66 
			 Lancashire 46.00 53.25 53.41 57.69 62.60 67.89 73.86 87.57 100.70 
			 Leicestershire 45.00 52.26 61.21 63.79 67.80 75.52 95.21 104.77 120.11 
			 Lincolnshire 67.00 69.03 78.93 81.99 86.49 90.36 94.86 104.40 112.23 
			 Merseyside 58.00 66.87 71.78 77.44 81.31 85.37 94.76 101.54 110.17 
			 Metropolitan 56.00 63.27 76.48 82.51 90.95 118.85 130.59 159.13 184.08 
			 Norfolk 45.00 50.58 53.64 64.35 72.09 83.61 100.35 121.95 138.69 
			 Northamptonshire 64.00 70.56 69.29 76.08 79.65 83.00 105.25 130.09 149.43 
			 Northumbria 46.00 52.73 47.67 49.82 52.06 55.65 58.15 63.80 66.93 
			 North Wales 46.21 48.52 58.54 66.33 78.49 82.72 96.53 126.94 151.57 
			 North Yorkshire 45.00 49.72 48.46 52.20 57.04 62.59 88.59 156.00 171.50 
			 Nottinghamshire 46.00 49.78 54.32 61.55 65.17 70.17 85.17 109.30 120.12 
			 South Wales 46.36 49.22 56.25 65.36 80.42 85.57 89.85 103.51 115.71 
			 South Yorkshire 46.00 53.29 54.28 56.72 59.26 62.79 74.09 94.30 102.79 
			 Staffordshire 48.00 54.74 72.42 78.86 83.43 94.37 100.93 126.50 138.44 
			 Suffolk 45.00 51.39 52.38 56.16 61.11 67.14 82.08 109.35 119.70 
			 Surrey 43.00 44.64 66.06 75.24 79.41 83.08 96.44 135.09 147.06 
			 Sussex 46.00 51.66 50.94 53.19 55.53 59.13 69.84 97.74 105.12 
			 Thames Valley 47.00 52.79 50.76 56.53 60.34 64.49 73.49 106.24 120.51 
			 Warwickshire 47.00 52.24 62.09 71.18 77.57 85.17 101.78 117.30 126.55 
			 West Mercia 45.00 50.87 53.64 59.00 74.06 78.50 104.50 119.80 137.69 
			 West Midlands 46.00 53.20 48.99 51.19 54.77 57.21 61.88 71.16 80.08 
			 West Yorkshire 45.00 53.17 52.41 54.76 58.73 60.82 75.92 88.81 102.06 
			 Wiltshire 49.00 55.22 62.77 68.98 75.84 83.26 91.54 109.68 120.63 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for 1996–97 for England are not available to two decimal points.
	Source:
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and National Assembly for Wales

Police Vehicle Collisions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on repairing police vehicles following collisions in London in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by basic command unit; and how many injuries resulted from a police collision in London in each year.

Hazel Blears: This is a matter for the Commissioner. Ihave asked him to write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

Police/Crime Statistics (Durham)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of crime was in North Durham in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the latest period for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Statistics on the levels of crime specifically in North Durham are not collected centrally. Figures for the Durham police force area as a whole are as follows:
	
		Recorded offences in Durham
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 47,976 
			 2001 48,613 
			 2003–04 48,432 
		
	
	Because of changes to the coverage and counting rules in April 1998 and the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002, these data are not on a comparable basis.

Police/Media

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to police officers on briefing the media when a person is (a) arrested and (b) detained in custody.

Hazel Blears: The Media Advisory Group of the Association of Chief Police Officers publish guidance notes on media handling in a range of operational situations. The notes aim to encourage consistency of practice by police forces but are issued only for their guidance. It is a matter for individual chief constables, in conjunction with their media advisers, to decide whether, and how, the notes should be implemented. The guidance notes are set out on http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/policieslist.asp, including Guidance Note 2 on individuals under investigation.

Policing

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) burglaries and (c) vehicle thefts has been in Morecambe and Lunesdale since 1997.

Hazel Blears: Statistics relating specifically to Morecambe and Lunesdale are not available centrally. Morecambe and Lunesdale comes within the Lancaster Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area and information at CDRP level is only available from 1999–2000.

Policing

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much Government funding has been spent on policing in Morecambe and Lunesdale in each of the last 10 years.

Hazel Blears: Central Government support to Lancashire constabulary is set out in the table. It is a matter for the Chief Constable and Police Authority to determine its final annual budget and decide how to deploy the available resources across the force area. The Chief Constable informs me that details of spending in Morecambe and Lunesdale are not available.
	
		
			  General government grants(23) (£ million) Annual percentage change in general government grants Specific grants and capital provision(24) (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997–98 146.9 — 2.2 
			 1998–99 153.6 4.6 2.4 
			 1999–00 155.9 1.5 2.2 
			 2000–01 162.2 4.0 6.6 
			 2001–02 168.1 3.6 18.2 
			 2001 -02(25) 164.0 — 18.2 
			 2002–03 168.7 2.9 15.1 
			 2003–04 177.1 4.9 15.4 
			 2004–05 182.9 3.3 15.8 
			 2005–06 190.8 4.3 17.4 
		
	
	(23)General government grants comprise Home Office Police grant, ODPM Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates.
	(24)Includes funding from the Crime Fighting Fund, Rural Policing Fund, Basic Command Unit funding, Street Crime Initiative, Community Support Officer funding, Special Priority Payments, the DNA Expansion Programme, capital grant, Airwave and the Premises Improvement Fund. Total for specific grants in 2005–06 are an estimate.
	(25)Figures for 2001–02 are not directly comparable with 2002–03 due to the change in funding arrangements of NCS/NCIS. Adjusted figures for 2001–02 are therefore included.

Policing

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in Rochdale there were (a) in 1997 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002.
	Between March 2002 and March 2004 full-time equivalent police officer numbers for the Rochdale Metropolitan Borough (P) Division increased by 12.5 per cent. (from 409 in March 2002 to 460 in March 2004). The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Michael Todd QPM) and within the Rochdale Metropolitan Borough (P) Division deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

Policing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been spent on policing per head of population in each police force in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information is set out in the following table.
	Government funding for police authorities is chiefly allocated using a funding formula that distributes resources on the basis of relative policing need. The formula is currently being reviewed to ensure it reflects modern policing needs. Funding is not, and never has been, distributed on a per capita basis.
	
		Net revenue expenditure(26) per head of population(27)
		
			 Force 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 104.33 110.89 117.93 122.06 126.78 129.71 145.43 153.42 
			 Bedfordshire 107.34 112.57 115.18 119.94 125.80 128.33 138.11 145.50 
			 Cambridgeshire 98.98 104.42 105.37 110.52 116.43 124.35 139.64 148.06 
			 Cheshire 106.33 109.28 115.34 116.95 123.96 126.96 145.92 144.27 
			 Cleveland 134.89 145.77 153.38 159.04 164.11 173.22 191.42 202.16 
			 Cumbria 125.87 127.47 131.65 136.72 143.55 147.95 163.48 175.23 
			 Derbyshire 99.85 104.02 109.37 114.52 120.10 126.41 138.90 145.29 
			 Devon and Cornwall 100.84 107.83 112.83 117.00 121.76 125.03 139.75 146.58 
			 Dorset 102.74 107.22 111.93 117.42 122.60 125.86 137.81 146.02 
			 Durham 123.70 122.79 130.95 138.18 144.48 147.06 161.83 170.56 
			 Dyfed-Powys 107.14 104.98 117.18 123.12 130.83 135.37 147.44 155.85 
			 Essex(28) 104.59 103.58 110.29 114.03 120.45 121.84 131.64 136.88 
			 Gloucestershire 106.08 113.00 117.57 123.00 128.52 132.76 153.72 162.31 
			 Greater Manchester 137.04 137.51 145.73 152.76 159.54 160.60 181.60 186.56 
			 Gwent 116.12 121.64 127.19 136.62 144.95 151.40 166.47 177.23 
			 Hampshire 103.80 106.49 112.04 115.54 121.40 127.41 139.25 146.11 
			 Hertfordshire(28) 108.34 110.12 119.83 120.01 124.73 126.28 138.33 147.40 
			 Humberside 119.46 126.95 128.79 134.64 145.43 149.42 163.38 172.78 
			 Kent 112.30 112.74 118.94 122.76 130.41 134.31 147.41 154.67 
			 Lancashire 118.70 124.46 127.71 133.23 138.91 141.33 153.13 161.01 
			 Leicestershire 107.03 110.83 115.46 118.59 124.55 130.59 140.69 147.86 
			 Lincolnshire 108.17 108.24 112.01 116.51 120.99 121.56 125.26J 129.37 
			 Merseyside 157.18 169.15 175.75 180.05 188.84 191.38 207.73 216.65 
			 Metropolitan 223.68 226.91 241.48 260.68 285.90 298.07 307.46 318.92 
			 Norfolk 103.87 103.66 111.34 115.84 123.58 129.81 142.28 151.12 
			 Northamptonshire 107.80 110.96 113.30 119.76 126.59 134.84 134.89 151.63 
			 Northumbria 135.64 143.08 148.73 153.18 160.46 161.66 174.33 180.77 
			 North Wales 107.93 101.51 119.97 127.80 136.00 142.09 157.70 172.44 
			 North Yorkshire 98.33 102.55 105.99 111.05 116.87 125.60 152.09 161.52 
			 Nottinghamshire 116.82 123.11 125.43 129.70 135.82 140.83 155.70 161.99 
			 South Wales 129.83 130.60 137.45 144.59 152.12 156.53 171.58 180.18 
			 South Yorkshire 127.34 128.12 134.92 137.77 143.72 147.04 163.61 170.89 
			 Staffordshire 104.37 110.10 119.78 119.67 126.60 129.24 142.31 149.95 
			 Suffolk 96.95 99.90 105.77 109.23 116.29 121.05 133.94 140.82 
			 Surrey(28) 117.35 117.72 127.61 119.23 113.53 123.97 140.85 148.95 
			 Sussex 107.79 109.94 111.32 116.43 121.37 124.67 141.19 147.77 
			 Thames Valley 102.73 101.49 108.84 113.55 119.14 121.84 139.69 148.37 
			 Warwickshire 102.28 103.91 109.54 116.51 123.37 129.00 138.85 144.12 
			 West Mercia 96.74 101.76 98.95 110.60 116.80 125.93 133.31 141.97 
			 West Midlands 136.56 139.49 145.02 150.20 156.38 158.65 172.72 178.82 
			 West Yorkshire 133.80 131.79 135.58 142.66 148.49 152.68 166.13 174.09 
			 Wiltshire 99.11 115.99 116.49 118.85 123.94 126.44 136.60 143.12 
		
	
	(26)Source of expenditure information: CIPFA Police Statistics—actuals 1997–98 to 2002–03 and estimates 2003–04; for 2004–05 net budget requirements submitted by authorities to Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and to the Welsh Assembly Government.
	(27)Source for resident population figures: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Welsh Assembly Government, as used for police funding settlements.
	(28)Population numbers affected by associated changes in boundaries of the Metropolitan police district in April 2000.

Prison Information Booklets

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the contractual obligations for privately managed prisons are in relation to the provision of information to prisoners.

Paul Goggins: Both public sector and privately managed prison establishments are obliged to adhere to the provisions contained in Prison Service Order 6710 on Prison Libraries, and which sets out the publications which must be held by all Libraries and made available to prisoners. These publications include relevant legislation, documents and manuals on the management of prisons and guidance on legal matters.

Prison Service Intranet

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether privately managed prisons have access to the Prison Service intranet.

Paul Goggins: Privately managed prisons do not currently have access to the Quantum IT infrastructure which supports the Prison Service intranet. Work commenced in January 2005 to provide these establishments with limited access to the electronic version of the Offender Assessment System (OASys).
	Plans are in hand to allow privately managed prisons access the Quantum IT infrastructure from summer 2005.

Prisoners (Communication Costs)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to his Department was in each of the last three years for (a) prisoners' private letters, (b) prisoners' legal letters, (c) foreign national prisoners' telephone calls and (d) telephone calls made by prisoners on arrival in prison.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The Prison Service has a statutory obligation to assist prisoners to maintain external contacts as part of their rehabilitation. To this end, convicted prisoners are allowed to send one letter a week and unconvicted prisoners two at public expense by 2nd class post. Prisoners are required to meet the cost of any additional letters but Governors and Directors have the discretion to fund special letters in exceptional circumstances (such as when a prisoner is to be transferred, or is involved in legal proceedings).
	Prisoners pay to make an estimated 25 million telephone calls a year. For Foreign National prisoners, Governors have the discretion to provide a free 5-minute call provided that the prisoner in question has not received a domestic visit in the preceding month. Governors also have the discretion to provide prisoners with access to an official telephone or make a call on their behalf to a close relative or partner within the first 24 hours of their arrival into prison. The only other occasion where prisoners are provided with calls at official expense is in urgent domestic circumstances involving a close relative or partner.

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost was in the last year of a place in each prison in (a) the Prison Estate and (b) privately run prison establishments; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The average cost per place for each Prison Service and privately run establishment for the financial year 2003–04 is listed in the tables. These figures are not directly comparable since prisons vary widely in a number of factors which impact on costs such as the type of prison, category of security, levels of crowding, facilities and layout, location and the age of establishment.
	
		A. Prison service establishments
		
			 Establishment Cost per place (£) 
		
		
			 Acklington 18,116 
			 Albany 21,259 
			 Ashwell 18,644 
			 Askham Grange 24,564 
			 Aylesbury 30,000 
			 Bedford 32,594 
			 Belmarsh 44,331 
			 Birmingham 28,605 
			 Blakenhurst 22,138 
			 Blantyre House 22,987 
			 Blundeston 27,849 
			 Brinsford 30,859 
			 Bristol 41,048 
			 Brixton 33,244 
			 Brockhill 43,767 
			 Buckley Hall 25,014 
			 Bullingdon 24,756 
			 Bullwood Hall 41,877 
			 Camp Hill 22,934 
			 Canterbury 35,204 
			 Cardiff 29,900 
			 Castington 33,703 
			 Channings Wood 21,775 
			 Chelmsford 31,342 
			 Coldingley 24,671 
			 Cookham Wood 37,698 
			 Dartmoor 22,182 
			 Deerbolt 24,982 
			 Dorchester 46,779 
			 Dover 27,012 
			 Downview 29,185 
			 Drake Hall 23,722 
			 Durham 40,353 
			 East Sutton Park 27,378 
			 Eastwood Park 31,621 
			 Edmunds Hill 26,966 
			 Elmley 21,417 
			 Erlestoke 19,522 
			 Everthorpe 21,038 
			 Exeter 38,715 
			 Featherstone 22,842 
			 Feltham 43,209 
			 Ford 14,328 
			 Foston Hall 28,852 
			 Frankland 44,603 
			 Full Sutton 44,316 
			 Garth 23,093 
			 Gartree 26,992 
			 Glen Parva 28,574 
			 Gloucester 39,295 
			 Grendon 24,163 
			 Guys Marsh 19,796 
			 Haslar 26,154 
			 Haverigg 20,230 
			 Hewell Grange 20,844 
			 High Down 28,263 
			 Highpoint 18,850 
			 Hindley 34,577 
			 Hollesley Bay 21,093 
			 Holloway 45,461 
			 Holme House 22,994 
			 Hull 26,807 
			 Huntercombe 38,011 
			 Kingston 27,871 
			 Kirkham 21,105 
			 Kirklevington 17,021 
			 Lancaster 41,263 
			 Lancaster Farms 31,227 
			 Latchmere House 19,366 
			 Leeds 32,001 
			 Leicester 45,381 
			 Lewes 25,054 
			 Leyhill 19,997 
			 Lincoln 31,276 
			 Lindholme 22,577 
			 Littlehey 18,248 
			 Liverpool 24,459 
			 Long Lartin 36,387 
			 Low Newton 29,507 
			 Maidstone 20,875 
			 Manchester 29,607 
			 Moorland 22,200 
			 Morton Hall 22,248 
			 Mount 20,034 
			 New Hall 40,449 
			 North Sea Camp 15,034 
			 Northallerton 39,046 
			 Norwich 30,082 
			 Nottingham 32,086 
			 Onley 24,791 
			 Parkhurst 32,194 
			 Pentonville 29,595 
			 Portland 24,579 
			 Preston 36,184 
			 Ranby 22,190 
			 Reading 43,345 
			 Risley 19,916 
			 Rochester 23,124 
			 Send 27,613 
			 Shepton Mallet 34,542 
			 Shrewsbury 42,890 
			 Stafford 20,664 
			 Standford Hill 18,182 
			 Stocken 18,964 
			 Stoke Heath 30,410 
			 Styal 32,065 
			 Sudbury 15,896 
			 Swaleside 19,583 
			 Swansea 41,215 
			 Swinfen Hall 27,683 
			 Thorn Cross 25,573 
			 Usk·Prescoed 25,783 
			 Verne 18,738 
			 Wakefield 29,128 
			 Wandsworth 27,437 
			 Warren Hill 43,382 
			 Wayland 17,659 
			 Wealstun 20,876 
			 Weare 21,158 
			 Wellingborough 20,209 
			 Wellington 43,564 
			 Wetherby 32,621 
			 Whatton 20,592 
			 Whitemoor 49,885 
			 Winchester 34,185 
			 Woodhill 39,035 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 24,739 
			 Wymott 20,901 
		
	
	
		B. Privately run establishments(29)(5507410030)
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Altcourse 50,747 
			 Ashfield 32,041 
			 Doncaster 24,769 
			 Dovegate 25,916 
			 Forest Bank 26,080 
			 Lowdham 24,499 
			 Pare 39,645 
			 Rye Hill 23,671 
			 Wolds 21,861 
		
	
	(29)The costs for private prisons excludes capital charges (Cost of Capital, Cost of Capital Credit and Depreciation), making the figures comparable with the public prison service.
	(30)HMP Bronzefield, a privately run prison, opened in June 2004 and is therefore excluded from this data.

Prisons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget is for prison education in 2004–05; what allocation has been made to 2007–08; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Department for Education and Skills has a specified and non-transferable budget for offenders' learning and skills of £136 million in 2004–05, which rises to £152.5 million for each of the years 2005–06, 2006–07 and 2007–08. This covers learning and skills in prison as well as for offenders in the community.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve rehabilitation for short-term and remand prisoners.

Paul Goggins: The introduction of Custody Plus, under the Criminal Justice Act 2003, will improve rehabilitation for all short-term prisoners by providing post-release supervision by the probation service of at least six months in all cases.
	In the meantime, a range of interventions have been introduced for short-term prisoners to address pressing needs in health, basic skills, drugs, and job search and benefits advice. From April 2005, all local prisons will be required to carry out housing needs assessments for every new prisoner, including those serving short sentences and on remand. A drug rehabilitation programme specifically for short-term prisoners is already being rolled-out following a successful pilot launched in April 2004.
	All prisoners, including those on remand, receive induction on admission to prison, which includes interviews on healthcare and resolving problems such as preserving accommodation, employment, and meeting family responsibilities.

Prisons

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the incidence of smoking in prisons in England and Wales was in the last period for which figures are available.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 21 February 2005
	This information is not routinely collected. In 1999 the report by the Office for National Statistics Substance Misuse Among Prisoners in England and Wales" recorded that 78 per cent. of male sentenced, 85 per cent. of male remand, 81 per cent. of female sentenced and 83 per cent. of female remand prisoners were current smokers.

Prisons

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of the Government are in relation to prisoners who do not wish to be exposed to the effects of passive smoking in their cells.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 21 February 2005
	Each prison develops its own no smoking" policy in line with current health and safety advice and taking into account the type of establishment it is, its population and the special needs of that population. Wherever possible prisoners should not be required to share accommodation with a smoker if they so request.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sexual assault referral centres are now functional in England and Wales; where they are situated; and how many are funded (a) wholly and (b) partly by (i) primary care trusts, (ii) strategic health authorities and (iii) local police forces.

Paul Goggins: There are 13 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) now functional in England and Wales, listed in the table. There are other examples of work between police and health services to provide services to victims of sexual assault that do not refer to themselves as 'SARCs', for example the STAR service in West Yorkshire. It should be noted that levels of service offered by the 13 SARCs vary.
	The table shows the funding arrangements for existing SARCs. SARC funding arrangements are negotiated at a local level. The majority of SARCs are jointly funded by local police forces and primary care trusts. Strategic health authorities do not have responsibility for allocation of funding.
	All percentages are approximate. Where information about exact funding contributions has not been available, the sources of funding are given.
	
		
			 SARCs  
		
		
			 St. Mary's Manchester Accommodation and associated costs, plus ancillary staff, provided by Central Manchester and Manchester children's university hospitals trust. Staffing and running costs provided by Greater Manchester police (GMP) 
			 The Haven Camberwell, London 50 per cent. London area PCTs 
			  50 per cent. Metropolitan police 
			   
			 The Haven Paddington, London 50 per cent. London area PCTs 
			  50 per cent. Metropolitan police 
			   
			 The Haven Whitechapel, London 50 per cent. London area PCTs 
			  50 per cent. Metropolitan police 
			   
			 SAFE Centre, Preston, Lancashire 5 per cent. Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust 
			  95 per cent. Lancashire constabulary 
			   
			 Juniper Lodge, Leicester, Leicestershire 25 per cent. Leicester City PCT 
			  75 per cent. Leicestershire police 
			   
			 REACH, Northumbria Jointly funded by: 
			  Northumberland health authority 
			  Sunderland health authority 
			  Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority 
			  Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority 
			  Northumbria police 
			   
			 Rowan Centre, Walsall, West Midlands Management, running costs and maintenance of premises provided by Walsall teaching PCT 
			  Forensic medical examinations funded by West Midlands police 
			   
			 Codner, Derbyshire Funded by Derbyshire police with contribution from Derbyshire rape crisis group 
			   
			 Dartford, Kent Part-time manager and upkeep costs provided by Darent Valley hospital 
			  Forensic examination costs provided by Kent police 
			   
			 The Sanctuary, Swindon, Wiltshire Jointly funded by local police and health. The centre is being extensively developed and new funding arrangements are currently being negotiated 
			 The Milne Centre and Cabot Suite, Bristol Funded out of sexual health clinic budget 
			   
			 Peterborough Cambridgeshire Peterborough City PCT 
			  Cambridgeshire constabulary

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which sexual assault referral centres employ forensic nurses.

Paul Goggins: St. Mary's Centre in Manchester has employed a forensic nurse since March 2001, initially funded as a two-year pilot project by the Home Office Crime Reduction Programme. We do not know of any other Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) which employ forensic nurses at the present time, but are aware of plans in some centres to develop the use of forensic nurses to undertake forensic examinations of service users reporting rape or sexual assault.

Staff Custody Officers

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training arrangements are proposed for designated officers to act as staff custody officers in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill.

Hazel Blears: The training arrangements for the post of custody officer will be identical to those undertaken by a police sergeant fulfilling the role.
	Although Centrex have developed a national training programme for custody officers there is no formal qualification required before a police officer can take on the role of custody sergeant. It will remain a matter for individual force policy on training required before the appointment of police officers and police staff to this role.
	National Occupational Standards for the Police Sector developed by Skills for Justice set out the competencies and skills required for authorising and managing police detention and form an Integrated Competency Framework. In terms of the custody officer, the competency framework focuses on the key areas of making detention decisions; managing the detention of individuals; and authorising and reviewing continued detention.
	In addition, further work is under way with stakeholders and the National Centre for Policing Excellence on developing guidance on how these standards are to be achieved. This will be issued for consultation later this year and published in January 2006. Combined with the competency framework, we will have in place definitive standards for both police and police staff employed in the custody suite

Stolen Property

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants from his Department have (a) faced disciplinary proceedings as a result of allegations of theft, (b) been charged with theft and (c) been dismissed following theft allegations in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office and its Agencies currently have no records of disciplinary action taken relating to theft according to the central database set up in 2000–01. Figures recorded before the establishment of the database could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Student Visa Charges

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to increase overseas student visa charges.

Des Browne: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement of 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 69WS.

Violent Crime (Northumbria)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent offences involving (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences and (c) robbery there were in each basic command unit of Northumbria police force area in (i) 2002–03 and (ii)2003–04.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is available on the Home Office website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/bcu2.xls

Departmental Policies

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Worcester constituency, the effects on Worcester of changes to his Department's policy since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Worcester constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the West Mercia Police Force increased by 325 from 2,040 to 2,365. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 67 CSOs on West Mercia streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, West Mercia has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 10 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 36 per cent.
	West Mercia Police Force is receiving £111.8 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 3.75 per cent. (£4.1 million) over this year. West Mercia benefits from the decision to provide a funding floor of 3.75 per cent. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, the Force would have received £2.5 million less. General grants funding to West Mercia has increased by 27 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, West Mercia will also receive around £10 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. One CCTV project in the Worcester CDRP area received a total of £643,832 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £446,583 has been allocated to the Worcester CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.03 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the West Midlands for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Worcester set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Worcester a total of 28 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 9 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10-year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focusing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Worcestershire has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Worcestershire Drug Action Team amounted to £2.5 million, rising to £1.5 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Worcester constituency can be obtained from the Worcestershire Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Work Permits

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004, broken down by capacity in which they were issued.

Des Browne: holding answer 22 February 2005
	The table displays the number of work permits that were issued in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004, broken down by the capacity in which they were issued:
	
		
			 Work permit category 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Business and Commercial 153,179 160,370 
			 Sector Based Scheme 7,809 16,858 
			 Training and Work Experience Scheme 5,980 4,204 
			 Total 166,968 181,432 
		
	
	The figures for the Sectors Based Scheme for 2003 do not cover an entire 12 month period as the scheme started in May 2003.